NO Warrington Wolves player was more excited when he left the Wembley changing rooms than winger Tom Lineham.

“I’d been in three finals and lost all three,” said the 26-year-old former Hull FC flyer.

“Last year hurt me the most, losing to Catalans Dragons on my first time at Wembley and I didn’t feel as a team we did ourselves justice.

“Everyone was very excited last year and was looking to enjoy it, and I think we got it wrong.

“The difference this year compared to last year is unbelievable.

“It means so much and I feel part of the reason we won this time is because we lost last year.

“Nobody gave us a chance outside the four walls of the team.

“But with the belief within the group, the dedication and the elite mentality that we showed, I’d say it’s a very special day for the club, for the organisation, for us as a team in terms of confidence going forward.

“The fans, and our families in the stands, reap the benefits. Obviously going to London is a trek, it’s expensive, but it’s all worth it for being 80 minutes away against St Helens – the best team comfortably in the competition. Nobody’s touched them all year.

“But we have a special relationship with St Helens. In the big games against them we just come alive, everyone gives their best game. And honestly, it was unbelievable.”

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Confidence was felt in the camp on cup final eve.

“The preparation was very special and I can’t go into too much detail because it’s personal to the group,” he said.

“But people spoke from the heart, the words that were said were very powerful and the preparation was very switched on knowing we had a job to do.

“For a couple of people it was their last chance, and it meant a lot to so many people for personal reasons, for the coaches for their reasons, and collectively as a group, so although we’ve not had the best success in finals we just went to a whole new level with this win.

“I don’t know what it looked like from a fans perspective.

“It was end to end, but everyone gave everything and I just feel we deserve this.”

The victory ended a seven-year gap since the last win at Wembley for the club.

“I think there was Mike Cooper, Chris Hill, Stef Ratchford and Bennie Westwood who had lifted the cup before with Warrington, but not many are still here from last time,” he said.

“We’ve all done it now and nobody can take it away from us.

“When I speak to people like Kylie Leuluai (operations manager) in camp who’s won too many, Briersy (Lee Briers, assistant coach) and Bennie Westwood (teammate), they always say your first one is your best.

“So I’m going to treasure every moment.”

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He revealed how he spent the last 10 seconds of the game alongside his centre partner Bryson Goodwin.

“It’s weird, because with 10 minutes to go we were three scores ahead and the message was coming on ‘three sets each remaining’ and we were getting through it minute by minute,” he said.

“And then all of a sudden I’m doing a 10-second countdown with Bryson Goodwin at the end.

“At that point we knew we’d won the game, we’re all shattered, we’re all mates, we’ve been in the trenches together, we’ve done everything together, and you’re about to go and lift that cup. It’s very special.

“It’s not about the Wembley experience, it’s about winning at Wembley. Experiencing Wembley is terrible if you lose, last year I hated it.

“I’m very good friends with Jamie Shaul (Hull full-back), he has won at Wembley and beforehand he said ‘are you excited?’ I said if we win there will be nobody happier, but if we lose I will be rock bottom.

“Winning at Wembley is magical, losing at Wembley is awful.

“It was end to end. It wasn’t about structure and plays and chase, it was about who could run and tackle the hardest and I feel we did that.

“In the tunnel before the game I knew that we had to be at our best from one to 17 and from the off I felt we wanted it more, that we were more determined, and that we were prepared to go further in terms of ‘above and beyond’ than they were.

“Saints have some brilliant players but when I was playing I was looking across at them and body language said to me I want it more than them.

“And I think my teammates felt that, and the result suggests that also.”

He has spent most of the past two seasons on the left flank outside of 33-year-old veteran Goodwin, who will return to Australia at the end of the season with at least one winner’s medal in his back pocket.

And Ben Currie features next to them as the left back-rower, also getting his hands on the cup for the first time after defeat to Hull in the 2016 final when he fumbled the ball with the try line at his mercy as a stunning last-ditch Danny Houghton tackle was made.

“I’m really buzzing for Bryson, we have a really good relationship,” said Lineham.

“He’s such a good man but also the most aggressive person I’ve ever played with.

“I hugged him at the end of the game and said I’m buzzing for you.

“Obviously when you get to that age, the chances and opportunities are few and far between.

“And Ben Currie also, my back-rower, because in 2016 it didn’t have the best ending but he has come back and avenged that. He was brilliant, Bryson was brilliant, everyone was.

“For everyone individually it means different things, but collectively as a group this is everything.”