WARRINGTON Wolves chief executive praised the club’s attention to detail in helping secure Saturday’s remarkable Wembley triumph.

The Wire beat St Helens under a sweltering sun in the Challenge Cup final.

Karl Fitzpatrick, who is coming to the end of a third year at the top at The Halliwell Jones Stadium, said he was confident of securing an upset.

“I had belief in the team and I had belief in the coaching staff in how they would prepare them.

“Last year we got a couple of things wrong in the build up but we learned from that experience.

“Saints have been a bit shaky in the big games. The lost to Catalans in the Challenge Cup Semi-final last year, in the league semi-final to us and again they struggled against Halifax.

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“So the question was can they perform on the big stage.

“So I was quietly confident.”

And he praised coach Steve Price for his work in the run-up to the big day.

The former Salford full-back added: “I sent a text to Steve on the evening before the game saying I believe in you, and in the players to deliver.

“He had devised a game plan. And what happened was a coaching masterclass.

“We went into that game without our first choice half backs.

“Blake Austin was not available due to injuryso we had Jack Hughes, who had never played stand off before, there and three weeks ago ruptured his testicle.

“So how we beat St Helens was incredible.

“The attention to detail was remarkable. Right to the sense of watching how Tommy Makinson scores those acrobatic tries.

“We used great repetition in training to get Bryson Goodwin to target his arm to stop him and it worked in the crucial moment with that no try (early in the second half.”

He said the challenge for the club will now be to use the success to build a new era.

"“In some ways the hard work starts now,” he said. “We have to get that cup into every school in Warrington and get our community coaches there.

“We want more people from Warrington playing the game.

“In 2009 we had a huge increase in people coming to the community game and we hope this will have a similar impact on the game here.

“We also hope it will boost our attendances as people can get to see the Challenge Cup winners at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

“Starting next Friday, September 6, against Wakefield when we will have the cup and a reunion of the 2009 cup winning team."

Warrington Guardian:

Success in 2009

He added: “It is fantastic for the sponsors and backers to be associated with a successful club.”

Yet despite the success on Saturday, focus has already shifted to the next aim – trying to finally win a first Grand Final.

“It is funny though, you prepare for weekends like this and days like this and then it is on to the next thing – which is Thursday at Salford,” he added.

“And now the double is on for us as well.”