STEFAN Ratchford is one of only four players in the current Wire squad that featured in the club's last Challenge Cup Final success.

Ratchford was at left centre in the 35-18 defeat of Leeds Rhinos in 2012, alongside current skipper Chris Hill, Ryan Atkins and Ben Westwood.

All four then felt the other side of Wembley, suffering a 12-10 defeat to Hull FC two years ago.

The extreme in emotions felt on those occasions are still felt by Wire and England full-back Ratchford.

"Chris Hill and I joined Warrington in time for pre-season 2011," said the 30-year-old former Salford utility back.

"One of the things we both said when we first got to the club was if we could just get in the team it would be a bonus.

"I’d never even played a play-off game until I joined Warrington, while Hilly was with Leigh in the Championship.

"We just wanted to be in a side that was pushing to be there or thereabouts, and hopefully have a crack at some stage at a final of some sort – a Grand Final or Challenge Cup Final.

"So to have been 10 months at the club and then to be walking out at Wembley it was a little bit like ‘How’ve I ended up here?’

"One of the things I remember against Leeds Rhinos that day is that it was a really tough game early on and then we got to about 60-65 minutes being about 18 points up.

"I had the feeling that with the way we were playing we were not going to be beaten from there.

"The way we were scrambling and defending for each other, we weren’t going to lose.

"So the last 20 minutes or so I felt I could have a look around and soak in what was going on because it might not happen again.

"Then 2013, 2014 and 2015 we lost in the semi finals.

"We got back there in 2016 and knew it was going to be a tough game against Hull.

"But we’d gone 10-0 up and I felt we were playing quite well.

"However, a couple of little things turned the game. We lost a couple of players through injury, they got all the momentum and I remember thinking it didn’t feel like this last time.

"We were so close but so far.

"When we won it, we sat in the stand after the game with a beer and it was like a ‘wow’ moment thinking we’d just won in this amazing stadium.

"But to lose the way we did in 2016 it was so gut-wrenching.

"There were a lot of moments that turned the game but then we were millimetres away from winning it at the end.

"It was a long walk up those steps in 2012 but knowing you are going up to lift the trophy it didn’t matter how far it was.

"But in 2016, going up to collect your loser’s medal was a long old walk. That disappointment is still there, stabbing away at me.

"You never want to feel like that again, as disappointing as it was.

"But what you get in the week leading up to Wembley an the moments before you walk out of the tunnel - when the crowd are joining in with Abide With Me, then you walk out and the flames are up in the air – you want that moment over and over again.

"It’s something you can’t really explain.

"It’s more about the week than the actual day, including the buzz of the send off on the Thursday from the fans.

"The whole occasion is something you want to experience over and over but the disappointment of losing two years ago still hurts a lot."