Everyone knows I’m a Black & White through and through, always have been, always will be, but I am genuinely looking forward to this year’s Wembley showpiece for our great sport, which will be won by a different team this year, just because we were gracious enough to see off the threat of holders Wigan earlier in the competition.

I absolutely despise Hull KR with a passion, just because I’m a Hull FC supporter, but I do genuinely love their story, from where they were in 2016/17 to where they are now, being in regular finals, competing with the very best.

However, there is a caveat here and it’s one that I’m very surprised hasn’t been mentioned yet, relating to their appearance in the Betfred Super League Grand Final last year, because who remembers their controversial semi-final victory over the same opposition that they will face at our national stadium?

As Nathan pointed out in his piece, both these teams have recent, heartbreaking history in the last two Wembley finals, however I believe Sam Burgess’ side have another agenda come kick off under the arch on Saturday, having been robbed of what would have been a deserved victory and subsequent Grand Final appearance by an extremely contentious Joe Burgess ‘Try’ at Craven Park on that now infamous night.

I will say that, should the Robins suffer even more heartbreak at Wembley on Saturday, there should be an official investigation into how it happened, they have been simply streets ahead of most, including a Wolves team currently languishing outside the playoff places, but here is where history could repeat itself.

In 2009 Warrington faced up to then in-form Huddersfield Giants at Wembley, while languishing outside the playoffs, which they did not make it into that year, and toppled them to claim the much-coveted silverware that day.

In 2019 they, having lost to Catalans Dragons there the year before, returned to our national stadium and humbled runaway Super League leaders and eventual champions St. Helens really, quite convincingly to surprise everybody again and now everybody, me included are giving them absolutely no chance at Wembley on Saturday, but with them having been beaten there by Wigan last year, here we are again, with a depleted, downtrodden Warrington side, once again returning to Wembley immediately, to face a team who many are tipping for a potential treble (although I’m pretty sure Matty Peet’s Warriors will claim the LLS and the Grand Final again anyway).

Having said all of that, making a case for the men in primrose and blue, I have to say that I do hope that Willie Peters’ team can win it because I have a very lot of good, close friends who support the Robins, but as I said to a fellow Black & White supporter on Saturday, I won’t be too upset for them if they bottle another final, just like they did in 2023 and 2024, that’s just the nature of rivalry.

My tip would be Rovers to win by plenty, but we must also remember that Warrington have been here before, they do have proven Wembley success credentials, unlike their opponents and maybe, just maybe, beating Warrington at Wembley might not be for everybody!

Written by Ian Judson (Site contributor & Hull FC fan)