Rugby League / Ralph Ellis / 06 August 2009 / Leave a comment

Super League might have all the razzamatazz, but you still can't beat the tradition of Rugby League's Challenge Cup. Betfair went to meet veteran star Adrian Morley ahead of Warrington Wolves' semi-final date with Wigan...

"I played in the last Challenge Cup final there before they demolished the old Wembley so I’ve got terrific memories from the old place. I would just love to get the opportunity to play at the new one."

Hi Adrian. Tell us why this is so special?

It's obvious, really. For the club it's absolutely huge - win and you get the chance to play at Wembley and in a major final. It doesn't come much bigger - apart from the final itself

Okay, that's for the club, but what about for you?

Well I played in the last Challenge Cup final there before they demolished the old Wembley so I've got terrific memories from the old place. I would just love to get the opportunity to play at the new one

Have you been there?

Yes, although I've not been to a sporting contest. I've had a look around, though, and it looked absolutely fabulous

You did the dressing room tour then?

No, I've just seen the pitch actually! I was there for a dinner in one of the banqueting rooms and took the chance to have a look out. But I've not been in the changing rooms or anything like that. I hope to get there and see them properly after Saturday!

Tell us your memories of the old Wembley...

That was with Leeds Rhinos in 1999 when we won the final against London Broncos. It was nip and tuck at half time, I think we were winning 12-10, but it was certainly very close. Then we just got on a roll in the second half and ran riot, and I think we scored the most points by a winning team in the final, so that was a feat in itself

It was actually 52-16 at the end.

I just remember it felt fantastic to be playing so well as a team. It was great. To be honest the stadium itself had had its day. It was old and decrepit. The old dressing rooms were too small to squeeze a rugby team in. They were built for football really, and in the days when they only had 11 players. But you could feel all the history and nostalgia there, and it was fantastic to play there and win so well.

We hope you get back to sample the luxury of the new place! It's been a decent season with Wolves, hasn't it?

Yes, although we started terribly. We lost the first five games, but then they brought in Tony Smith as a new coach, and we seem to have got things right. We're in the right direction now in Super League, and in the semi-final, so from the start we had it's going very well. We just need to go that one step better now

Tony Smith got a hard time after the World Cup, so what's he like as a coach?

I rate him very highly. I know we had a disappointing World Cup to say the least, but everywhere he's gone he's had success with his clubs, and the year before with Great Britain too. Don't forget we won a Test series against the Kiwis and we'd not done that for many years. I think he's a fantastic coach, and really concentrates on the little things, and if you get them right it creates the bigger things. I know he took a bit of flak last year for the world cup, but I thought the preparations were great, and you can't expect the coach to take responsibility for the players' performance. I thought some of the players who went out there under achieved massively, and I don't think Tony should be held responsible

He's certainly rebuilding his reputation...

Yes, he came to a team where confidence was very low, and he's very slowly turned it round, and I think we'll be even better for it next year with a full off season under him

What's been your contribution as captain? Do you plan to go into coaching in due course?

Well I'd like to think I've still got a few years as a player first, but I do want to stay in the game. I'm doing my coaching certificates at the moment. I know there's only so many coaching positions to go round, but I'd like to think there will be something there for me when I finish, but at the minute I'm focused on doing as best I can for Warrington.

You must have brought some ideas home from your time playing in Sydney. You are one of the few English players to have been successful in the NRL

It definitely helped me as a player. I wouldn't say I came back faster or stronger physically, but certainly mentally. Playing in the NRL you have to get used to the week in and week out grind. There are some hard games in the UK, but in the NRL it seemed to be every week that you had to really get up. I think my tactical awareness improved, it's a higher standard so you had to evolve and develop that way. I came back a better player.

You beat Wigan in May, will that help on Saturday?

Sadly no, this is a totally different game, with a lot more at stake. You can throw the form back out of the window in games like this. It doesn't matter if you've beaten a team so many times in the past or lost to them, it just depends on the day. Wigan are a proud team, have got a fantastic record in the cup and will come out all guns blazing.

What are your memories of playing against Wigan?

I made my debut for Warrington against them and got smashed up after barely half an hour. I fractured my eye socket, so the memories aren't that great, to be honest! I could do with something better this weekend

That's part of the hazards of the game though. Is there a bit of your body that's not been smashed up after all these years?

Maybe a couple of spots, I think! To be fair in the overall scheme of things I've had my fair share of injuries, but I know other kids who've suffered far more serious ones at a lot younger age, and touch wood nothing has ever really affected my career. I've missed a few weeks here or there, but never had anything particularly serious.

So at 32 you can keep going. We talked to Keiron Cunningham a while ago and he reckons modern science means you can carry on well into your 30s just like the footballers do

I think he's right. In the olden days you reached 30 and were pretty much gone, but with ice baths, and wearing skins, and all the different training techniques it's easier. There's a lot more sports science comes into it, and if they think you've done enough training they'll let you sit out the last bit, and the young kids who can run all day can finish it for you. I think a lot more players will stay in the game a lot longer. Mind you for all the science the most magic ingredient is still the desire to play and train every day. If you ever lose that you are on the way out

Thanks for your time and we've a free £50 bet for a charity of your choice

Great, I'm a patron of Manchester Children's Hospital so that will be my charity. I think I'll take a very safe bet and back England to win the Ashes at [1.93] While I may think highly of Tony Smith as a coach, as he's an Aussie I love winding him up!

Tags: Adrian Morley, Challenge Cup, Leeds Rhinos, Tony Smith, Wembley