I'd liked to have seen Ratu v Best in a race . Ratu was just a train , Once he got going , he wasnt going to be caught .
Best just cruised along , Never looked like he was going that quick .

Kevin Harkin was the unsung hero of that team, the glue that held everything together.
Losing him (about fifteen minutes in I think?) seemed to disrupt the whole team, David Topliss, initially, went to scrum-half and we subsequently lost all shape and cohesion.

But we were still only 5-0 down at the break. Bunting then moved Mick Crane to SH with Topliss back at 6. We recovered and were 12-5 up on the hour mark with everyone expecting us to run away with it in the last twenty. Only for us to completely lose our way again in unfathomable circumstances.

I remember Steve Quinn kicking the penalty to put Featherstone in front, looking at my watch (there being no game clock in those days of course!!) and realising there was about two minutes left to go. Can't remember anything about the closing seconds, only walking out of Wembley in numb disbelief at what I/we had witnessed.

It was in the days following that I first heard the rumours about the players being on the lash the night before, which would explain things a bit, even given the fact there was a drinking culture throughout the game then (play hard, drink hard was a general motto!).

My Saturday ended with me getting into a blazing row with a rovers fan in our party as I completely lost my cool, so brassed off was I. My mates still remind me about it from time to time as I am generally fairly mild-mannered!! Like I said above, I've still to fully get over the whole nightmare, even to this very day! I'm not sure what future Cup win would ever make up for it. Think you had to be there to fully realise how dumfounded we all were that afternoon.

It will always be the one that inexplicably slipped through our fingers on the point of triumph.

I think I am kind of leaning towards to 05/06 era because I think they had a bit more flair to it than the 16/17 side and that proved to be too much for a lot of teams around that time. But flair doesn't always win you matches and the 16/17 side felt a bit more in control of themselves and their destiny. They knew how to keep themselves in games and grind down an opposition before pulling the trigger, seemingly at the right moment (2016 final being a perfect example of this).

Would be a cracking contest.

think you could be right but apparently Kevin James was deemed to be one of our fastest wings.
Short career unfortunately
Loved Ratu.Just like Albo provided excitement when they had the ball
Even after a serious Knee injury at Bristol according to their coach Ratu is still the fastest player on their books and they have some real flyers in their squad

Unfortunately since he left Hull ratu been plagued by injuries. Hardly played.

It would be an interesting clash of styles. The 05/06 team had a smaller, more mobile pack with a lot of flair and played an expansive game. The 16/17 team was much bigger and used that to full advantage. They overpowered teams who couldn't handle the physicality.

I actually think our best team of the summer era was 2004. There were some incredible players in that squad. But injuries took their toll and Wakefield's performance in the playoffs was arguably their best ever in SL. They played lights out that night.

Tough to make a side out of the 2005/2006 winning sides, this is mine based on their form at the time of those cup wins

Shaul (16)
Talanoa (16)
Yeaman (both)
Fonua (16)
Raynor (05)
Horne (05)
Sneyd (16)
Watts (16)
Swain (05)
Taylor (16)
Ellis (16)
Mini (16)
Cooke (05)

Houghton (16)
King (05)
Carvell (05)
Mcmenemy (05)

9/7 if favour of 16.

Some close calls though

Does anyone remember a youtube video that someone did of our CC win in Cardiff? think it was to the back drop of "You raise me up"

Yes, had that bloke blubbering when everyone was singing abide with me

A bit crass that Jake. Abide with me is a very emotional hymn, played at many funerals, when it’s played before the final many fans including myself tear up. My Mum died in 2004 and I cried that day because she missed that game.

Does me in every time I hear it

Seem to remember the HDM running a story on the guy from the 2005 final. I think he lost his father that year and it brought back a flood of emotion

I remember it. Wasn't there also one with Status Quo's Rocking All Over the World too?

Edit: Both videos are available. Made by lammy2006.

was he, or was he not blubbering? I only deal in facts, not sentiment

If I recall that 04 side ended up wracked with injuries right at the tail end of the season which somewhat derailed everything. I remain convinced we'd have won the comp that year otherwise.

That Leeds 04 team was head and shoulder above every team in the comp that year.

I really did like those 04-06 Hull teams though. Crying out for a Best/Barnett combo