FEW players show the scars of Warrington Wolves final defeats more than Chris Hill.

He lifted the Challenge Cup in his first season at the Wire in 2012.

Since then however he has picked up six loser medals - four as captain since he took over in 2016 during a heart breaking run of defeats.

But the tears in his eyes as the seconds counted down at the end of Saturday’s Wembley win over St Helens were not just about the past few years.

They were about something far more important than rugby league.

READ MORE > Capturing that winning moment

He said: “We have been through the mill these last few years.

“We have lost a couple of Challenge Cup finals, grand finals and a World Cup final thrown in there as well.

“The tears were a little bit of everything.

Warrington Guardian:

Chris Hill with Steve Price

“I did not travel down with the team on Thursday as I was at the funeral of my wife’s uncle, Tommy.

“We were very close to him so I went to the funeral and travelled down on Thursday night with the club doctor.

“It makes it extra special, I was doing it for him. He would have been there if he could.

“He had a season ticket at Warrington until he had to give it up with his illness.

“So that is what some of the tears were. It was everything really.

“At the end of the day, there are some things more important than rugby.

“We had the funeral on Thursday and then this. It puts it in perspective.”

READ MORE > Great pictures of Wire fans at Wembley

Much of the speculation in the run-up to the final was over the fitness of star half back Blake Austin.

But according to Hill they had a plan in advance of the game.

“We knew Blake Austin would not be playing so we had a plan. We had that really strong belief. We knew we could do it.

“Everyone else wrote us off, a few people were saying how great Saints were. We wanted to prove people wrong a little bit.”

Speaking after the homecoming parade on Monday, the prop said the three or four minutes on the sideline after he came off towards the end of the game gave him precious time to soak in the win.

He added: “I want off for the last few minutes. When Daryl Clark scored I felt we had it but you can never write off Saints.

“But when I went off, I could really take it all in.

“I could take the occasion in for the first time and have a good look around.

“To get our hands on the trophy was pretty special.

“I said to Jack (Hughes) we were going to lift the trophy together.

Warrington Guardian:

Lifting the trophy with Jack Hughes

“That was the ultimate. It was an incredible feeling.

“We are determined to win that Grand Final now.

“You can see the reaction here today. This town will ground to a standstill if we win the Grand Final.”