meh. I remember it for the train breaking down within a mile of leaving Leeds, and then, after they managed to get it going, sitting at Doncaster for a couple of hours before literally making it into the Stadium as the kick off whistle blew.



The inclusion of Senior, the omission of Barry Mac, and the brainfart of Bai made for a memorial day....



Sentiment was in short supply on the return journey.

It will be a long time before we have a cup final as good as the 2005 one.



On the subject of Barrie Mac, the game before the final (Bradford when Senior got injured) Barrie had probably the worst game of pro rugby he has ever played, the decision to drop Barrie has been much maligned by some posters........some would say the same posters who have criticized the other Mac for not picking players by form this year.

For me the dropping of Barrie Mac was not a big issue per se, but it was the fact that he wasn't replaced with another prop that was more of an issue

I thoroughly enjoyed the 2005 final, as I did 2003. I would have liked, both times, to have the weekend capped by a Leeds win, but they were both tremendous sporting spectacles in a fantastic stadium and featured loads of fun and banter on the streets and in the pubs of Cardiff before and after.



My abiding memory of the 2005 final was trying to get the head of the Ronnie the Rhino suit back to our hotel in Bath on a train full of Hull fans. Fortunately they were not the sharpest tools in that particular box and were readily confused until I made my escape...





On a related topic, am I alone in thinking that I would like the Challlenge Cup to return to Cardiff? The before and after match experience on my two visits to Wembley for the final since it re-opened has been pretty lame by comparison.

2003 was the semi final that ranks as my #1 game ever, ever, ever, and you know, that final, replayed on the Wednesday following at Elland road? Nah. No ta. Kevin reckoned we could win it. So did I.



And no, you're not alone. I liked Cardiff. A lot.

Tanseys tweet wins:



Jordan Tansey tweeted: "F***ing joke. Looks like a labouring job for me!"

Is that an old one from when Hull gave him the boot?

The game following the Challenge Cup final in 2005 was an away game at Wigan and Senior didn't put his hand up for that so I guess you must be right.



The decision to play could have been a masterstroke: many, many players have taken the field including, indeed often, notably in Challenge Cup Finals well short of being 100% fit.



With the benefit of hindsight I'd suggest the gamble didn't pay off and perhaps foresight should have reached the same conclusion at the time. Those are the breaks.

So cynical.



Anywhere he says he will be labouring. Someone should remind the chooone lover that labouring means a bit of graft, putting a shift in. He'll struggle.

You don't usually get second chances if you turn up for work p1ssed either.

Judging by activity on the building site over the road from my office it seems to involve arriving at about 10, swearing and shouting like a moron for a few hours and then going and sitting in the beer garden of the nearest pub with your top off and a hard hat on from about 3. I reckon he'd fit right in there.



"Improving the Image of Construction" it says on their hoarding. FAIL.

HAHA!



The kids had loads of chances and blown them.



How the 'mighty' have fallen.