2012 Challenge Cup winner Brett Hodgson has expressed his passion for the competition as he prepares his side for their first bout in the 2021 campaign tomorrow.
Having experienced both winning and losing the final at Wembley during his playing days, the 2012 Lance Todd Trophy winner is all too familiar with the thrills and spills of the Challenge Cup.
Five-time Challenge Cup winners Hull FC will face Championship side Featherstone Rovers in the Third Round tomorrow (7.00pm kick-off), and Hodgson hopes it can be the start of a special journey to Wembley Stadium.
“I love the competition. I love that it’s a knockout format and that you have to be at your best to progress,” Hodgson said in his pre-match press conference.
“I love that the final is played at Wembley. I think it’s one of the most iconic stadiums in the world. It gives you something to strive for in your career, to play at such a great venue.
“The players still talk about the 2016 and 2017 cup wins every now and then and we have signage up at our training facility from those Challenge Cup successes.
“Come the end of the competition, we definitely want to be there.”
Having suffered cup heartbreak in the last three seasons, losing two quarter-finals and a semi-final, the Black & Whites will be chomping at the bit to try and make it six Challenge Cup titles.
The Airlie Birds will face Featherstone tomorrow, a rematch of the feisty 2018 Sixth Round tie.
Rovers beat Batley in their previous cup fixture to reach this stage, before recording another win over the Bulldogs in their first Betfred Championship outing last weekend.
“I think it provides us with a different challenge, but a big challenge, playing against Featherstone Rovers,” Hodgson said.
“They are a very high-quality side. They are well coached by James Webster and they have many good ex Super League players, so we are going to have our hands full.
“We just need to make sure we are continuing to improve our own behaviours and our own actions on the field.”
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