“You’re still asked about it everywhere you go round here – I don’t think it’ll ever be forgotten,” laughs Hull’s Danny Houghton when questioned about his memories of 27 August 2016. To one half of a city that is addicted to rugby league, it was a day many – including Houghton – thought would never arrive.
On eight previous occasions, Hull had tried to win at Wembley and failed. Many still believe that had Houghton not made a desperate tackle on Warrington’s Ben Currie in the closing moments of an absorbing Challenge Cup final which Hull eventually edged 12-10, that Wembley hoodoo would still exist.
“We tried not to think about the record at Wembley but a lot of us are Hull fans as well as players and we all know how it’s avoided us for so long, winning there,” he says.
“I don’t know what we would have done last year if we’d lost that game and had to endure sitting on the pitch at Wembley watching yet another team lift the cup. I suppose you can always regroup but that would have been tough to take.”
For once, the pendulum of fate swung Hull’s way and this weekend they find themselves a semi-final with Leeds away from a return to the scene of their greatest triumph. It is clear that nothing will eclipse last year in a hurry but Houghton, who has spent his career trying to establish Hull as a powerful force in Super League, is acutely aware of the significance of being able to defend the sport’s most famous prize.
“I saw blokes crying on the pitch, grown men hugging and crying in the stands and it just showed what it meant to the city to get it done,” he says.
“But when you win a trophy everyone wants to knock you off your perch. Good teams win trophies but it takes a champion team to go all the way and defend it when everyone’s trying to shoot at you from all angles. That’s our goal.”
Last year’s semi-final felt like Hull’s graduation to rugby league’s top table when they beat Wigan with such determination and resilience in Doncaster. It is a night Houghton remembers only too well.
“I understand everyone only remembers the final but that semi-final will live with me for a long time,” the hooker says. “You factor in what was riding on it for the club, with people talking about the Wembley hoodoo and the chance to go and end it, and to overcome a champion team like Wigan the way we did was a massive boost for everyone.
“I think it gave us that belief that no matter who we played at Wembley, we were good enough to win. Let’s hope Saturday proves to be the case again.”
Standing in Hull’s way on Saturday are Leeds: and should the Super 8s play out as many expect, it is not impossible they could meet again in a play-off semi-final later this year. It has the feel of a big game between two of the sport’s real heavyweights.
“You can feel it’s a big one,” Houghton says. “It may be harsh but with the week-in, week-out nature of Super League, you can sometimes take that for granted – but once games like these come around you know you have to be at your best.
“This is why you grow up wanting to play the game, days like these. I’m just glad we could finally shut all the Hull KR fans up and stop them singing those awful songs about us never winning at Wembley. Whatever happens next, last year will always be special.”
