RYAN Bailey’s “best performance yet” in a Wire shirt could well have sealed his place in Tony Smith’s Warrington Wolves 17 for the Challenge Cup Final against Hull at Wembley on Saturday.

Smith marked him and fellow bench prop George King among the stand-outs of yesterday’s 14-11 win against Castleford Tigers in the Super 8s, a victory that ensures a top-four finish for The Wire.

“I thought Bailey was very good off the bench,” said Smith, who said the forward's strapping to his left thigh after it tightened up early in the game will not cause any dramas.

“He probably played his strongest game for us – a good time to do that, the week before a big match so I’m pleased for him. He caught the eye.

“And George King also off the bench gave us a strong lift in energy for a while. I thought Ben Currie and Ryan Atkins were strong for us as well.”