News: Monas hungry to lead Wolves to glory

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ManlyBacker

Winging it
<p>Michael Monaghan almost packed his bags and returned to Australia after Warrington's disastrous start to the season - but now he's hungry to lead the Wolves to Challenge Cup glory this weekend.</p>


<a href="http://www.silvertails.net/news/4224-monas-hungry-to-lead-wolves-to-glory.html">Read the full article</a>
 
Game is on live on Ch 9 at 11.20pm Saturday night. I've set this up to record and will be going for the Wolves due to Monas and Hicksie being in the team and Matt King was a good player too. I rather not see Brown and a whole team of ex-Tigers win. Should be an easy watch over Sunday breakfast.
 
It's interesting that after all the kerfuffle over him wanting to be halfback he ends up playing hooker anyway, clearly his best position because he doesn't have time to overthink his options.

I sincerely hope he and Hicks get a better result from this final than the one they played for Manly
 
Arko-admirer link said:
It's interesting that after all the kerfuffle over him wanting to be halfback he ends up playing hooker anyway, clearly his best position because he doesn't have time to overthink his options.

I sincerely hope he and Hicks get a better result from this final than the one they played for Manly

I thought the same thing. He's been playing hooker with a seven on his back for a while this year. I've got to say his dummy half service has sped up and he's a good hooker these days. Hope Warrington can get the win.
 
clontaago link said:
[quote author=kingyfan link=topic=181487.msg238591#msg238591 date=1251412166]
Concentric circles before breakfast?  no thanks

F**k that comment sounds familiar.
[/quote]  It ain't me if that's what you're thinking.  I know who it is though.
 
Good luck to Monas & Hicksy - missed a premiership with Manly by one year and hopefully pick something up at Warrington
 
well played by the wolves, and monas deserved mom. he wouldn't be bad at all coming back as a dummy half backup, with some reconditioning to readjust to nrl.
 
The Challenge Cup is a huge knock-out comp similar to the FA Cup and includes teams from Europe as well.

Tries to Monas and Hicksie and Monas picked up the Lance Todd trophy as MOTM. Brown the loser coach again.

Warrington claim Challenge Cup glory

Former Manly hooker Michael Monaghan inspired Warrington to their first English rugby league Challenge Cup Final victory since 1974 as the Wolves eased to a 25-16 victory over Huddersfield.

Monaghan scored a try, created another and provided the impetus as Warrington controlled the game from start to finish at Wembley.

For Huddersfield, skippered by former Wests Tigers fullback Brett Hodgson, it was a disappointing end to a fairytale run as they ran out of steam.

In a breathless opening first 20 minutes, the Wembley crowd were treated to four tries, three disallowed efforts and a wealth of running rugby as both sides looked to play an expansive game.

The Wolves made the perfect start inside the first two minutes as Richie Mathers drove over under the sticks after Louis Anderson had charged down Brett Hodgson's clearing kick.

But that lead was short-lived as the Giants struck back through Shaun Lunt, who finished a Hodgson break mere seconds after having a score chalked off for a double movement.

With Huddersfield struggling with Warrington's style, Wolves capitalised with two tries in the space of three minutes to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

Firstly, Monaghan nipped through a gap to stretch and score, and moments later ex Manly and Penrith winger Chris Hicks finished off a flowing move in the corner.

Matt King and David Hodgson then saw tries disallowed for each side, before Huddersfield dragged themselves back into the contest just before the hooter when skipper Hodgson took a pass from Leroy Cudjoe to dive over.

The pace slowed noticeably after the interval and it was midway through the half before the next score, Monaghan's floated pass putting Vinnie Anderson in space and the former NZ Warrior did the rest.

David Hodgson did grab a late consolation for the Giants but it was too little too late, as Lee Briers applied the finishing touch with a last-gasp drop goal.
 
Well done to Monaghan on picking up the ward. Although in my opinion it could have gone to a number of players. Adrian Morley was also a stand out performer.
 
I thought Monnas was outstanding in that game. Scored a try and set up another and great in defence. Has he got a deal for next year ;)
 
Warrington Wolves cast aside their poor engage Super League form in glorious fashion to end their 35-year wait to get their hands on the Carnegie Challenge Cup with a 25-16 victory over Huddersfield Giants.

In the first cup final for 23 years not to feature any of the game's traditional 'big four' of St Helens, Leeds Rhinos, Bradford Bulls and Wigan Warriors, it was the Wolves who held their nerve in front of a 76,560 crowd at Wembley to defeat a disappointing Huddersfield.

Warrington are almost certain to miss out on the top-eight play-offs after winning just one of their last six league matches but that will be of little concern to their 22,000 fans who turned Wembley primrose and blue.

Once again Tony Smith's men were able to find their best form on the big occasion and Michael Monaghan and Lee Briers, the men who destroyed Wigan in the semi-final, again proved the match-winners.

Briers, who has waited 13 years to get his hands on some major silverware, was edged out in the voting for the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match by Monaghan, whose devastating play from dummy-half proved crucial.

Today's victory was also a personal triumph for Adrian Morley, who led his side to their first Wembley win since 1974 exactly 10 years after helping Leeds to their win over London Broncos at the 'old' Wembley, and coach Tony Smith for whom victory helped erase the memory of Leeds' defeat by Hull FC four years ago.

Huddersfield, whose last Wembley triumph was in 1953, were a shadow of the side that defeated holders St Helens in the semi-finals as their key players produced below-par performances.

The opening try came from Richard Mathers after Louis Anderson's charge-down of full-back Brett Hodgson's attempted clearance kick.

That try gave the Wolves the perfect start but Huddersfield were level when Shaun Lunt demonstrated exceptional pace to finish off a break by skipper Hodgson.

The score should have settled the Giants' nerves but too many players appeared overawed by the occasion, particularly every time Briers had the ball in his hands.

Warrington profited from a knock-on by Darrell Griffin inside his own 20-metre area to open up an 18-6 lead with the aid of two tries in five minutes.

Monaghan went over from dummy-half after Luke Robinson shot out of the line and Briers and Bridge combined to get winger Chris Hicks over for a third try, with Bridge kicking his third conversion.

Had Matt King not been denied a try for ball-stealing, the Wolves would have been home and dry before half-time but Hodgson, who toiled in vain for his side, hauled the Giants back into contention four minutes before the break, taking Leroy Cudjoe's inside pass to finish off a wonderful, intricate passing move.

But Huddersfield lost stand-off Kevin Brown with a knee injury half an hour into the game and the playmaking duties were left to Liam Fulton and winger-turned-forward Martin Aspinwall.

The Yorkshire side lacked direction in the absence of Brown and their play became increasingly desperate in the second half the longer they went without a try.

The stalemate was eventually broken on 59 minutes when Monaghan's pass out of the tackle opened up the Giants defence for Vinnie Anderson to go in for the clinching try.

Bridge added his fourth goal but lost his 100% record when he was wide with a penalty attempt.

Huddersfield scored a consolation try through David Hodgson but, fittingly, Briers had the final say when he put over his 60th drop goal for his club to put the seal on a terrific performance.

http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=34387
 

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