Wigan Warriors and Hull KR will meet in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley on Saturday, the third consecutive major final between the two sides. Each has won one of the previous two, with Wigan taking the 2024 Super League Grand Final and Hull KR winning last year's equivalent. The match offers a chance for one club to cement its status among the modern greats, with Wigan seeking a record-extending 22nd Challenge Cup triumph and Hull KR aiming for back-to-back Wembley victories.
Hull KR enter as favourites after completing a historic treble last season, including their first league title since the 1980s. Their rise from bottom of Super League six years ago to world champions has been remarkable. Chief executive Paul Lakin said: 'Good teams do it once; great teams do it multiple times and we’re aware of that. We want the lot again.'
Wigan, meanwhile, are expected to field up to ten academy graduates in their 17-man squad, including 20-year-olds Noah Hodkinson and Jack Farrimond. Hodkinson will make only his eighth senior appearance. However, Super League's salary cap rules mean players under 21 earning £30,000 or less do not count towards the £2.1m limit, forcing clubs to underpay young talent to afford high-profile stars elsewhere.
Wigan chief executive Kris Radlinski highlighted the issue: 'Noah could get man of the match but there’s nothing within the rules to allow me to pay him any more money.' In Australia's NRL, the minimum salary for any squad member is AUS$135,000 (about £70,000). Radlinski added: 'You can go and work at Costa Coffee and earn a similar wage to some players, and that can’t be a good look for our sport.'
The final comes at a crucial time for Super League, which is negotiating a new TV deal for 2027. Both teams are at the peak of their powers, with stars like Mikey Lewis and Jai Field set to feature, and Wigan's Bevan French a surprise inclusion after a hamstring injury. The match promises to be a classic, but the underlying pay disparity for young players remains a pressing issue.
