Sam Powell's classy tribute amid more cup final pain
AMID his own devastation at more Wembley heartbreak, Sam Powell was magnanimous in his assessment of Saturday's defeat for Warrington Wolves.
Indeed, he was keen to pay tribute to eventual winners Hull KR as well as the efforts of his teammates after the Robins snatched the trophy away in the dying seconds.
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It looked as though Powell was going to be a part of a winning Challenge Cup Final side for the very first time until Tom Davies' late try followed by Mikey Lewis' conversion allowed Rovers to win the game in dramatic fashion.
That moment allowed the men from East Hull to lift the famous trophy for the first time since 1980 and having broken into the elite in recent years, Powell admitted it was time for them to be rewarded with silverware.
'It was pretty silent in there. We're all pretty gutted,' the hooker said having stopped to speak to the gathered media post-match.
'Sammy (Burgess, Wire head coach) just said he was really proud of our efforts and that we'd given ourselves the best chance.
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'It just came down to a moment there that didn't go our way but that's sport – it's cruel sometimes.
'I'll have to watch the game back but the conditions suited Sneydy's kicking game for us. He was outstanding and we got on the back of that.
'I'm absolutely gutted but full credit to Hull KR – they're a classy outfit and for their efforts throughout the last couple of years, you'd probably say they deserve that one.
'That's sport and I'm hurting right now.'
Sam Powell is consoled by Ben Currie at full time (Image: Neil Ashurst/P&B Pictures) Powell himself has now been a part of three Wembley defeats having lost with The Wire last year and former club Wigan Warriors in 2017.
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And while he was a key member of the Wigan squad that lifted the trophy in 2022, he missed the final through suspension.
Having confirmed earlier this year that his Warrington career will extend into a third season, the 32-year-old will get at least one more crack but for now, he is looking to the immediate future.
'We'll be down for a couple of days but we'll see our families and have the rest of the weekend with them, then we'll reset,' he said.
'For us, it's about being professional now. I think we're back in on Tuesday and then it's Leeds next week.'
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