Batley Bulldogs coach Craig Lingard talks Wembley, 1895 Cup final dream and close calls v Halifax Panthers

A rugby league founder club, and the first Challenge Cup winners, Batley will make their maiden appearance at the national stadium when they face Halifax Panthers in Saturday’s 1895 Cup final.

Batley are one of rugby league’s unheralded success stories, having never been relegated since the three divisions structure was established more than 20 years ago.

Despite a small budget and fanbase, they have punched well above their weight, reaching a couple of Championship Grand Finals, winning the Northern Rail Cup and featuring in the middle-eights along the way.

Saturday, though, will be a rare afternoon in the national spotlight and coach Craig Lingard, a long-serving former Bulldogs player, admitted it was a day he never thought would come,

“It is something you don’t think is going to be an option for you,” Lingard - who is also assistant-coach at Castleford Tigers - said.

“But with the introduction of the 1895 Cup, it has made it more realistic for teams like us. I think it is a great concept and it gives clubs who aren’t playing full-time rugby - and lads who are in the later stages of their career - an opportunity to play at Wembley.

“I think it is a great concept for teams outside Super League because there’s no realistic chance now for us to play at Wembley in the Challenge Cup, with it being a full-time game.”

Saturday is also a reward for Bulldogs’ hardy bunch of loyal fans and club stalwarts including long-serving chairman Kevin Nicholas.

“These sort of days, for a club like Batley, are few and far between,” Lingard added. “We’ve been fortunate in my time here to get to two finals in a couple of years and it’s great for these players to do that and hopefully it is a sign of things to come as well.”

Halifax are in a similar situation. Their most recent Wembley appearance was in 1987, when they pipped St Helens 19-18 in a thrilling Challenge Cup decider.

Saturday could be just as close. Batley are fourth in the Betfred Championship and Halifax sixth, three points adrift. Though Bulldogs were 42-0 winners the last time the sides met, they have a history of tense contests.

“Generally when we play Halifax it is pretty close,” Lingard noted. “Halifax are a quality side, they beat Featherstone last weekend and they’ll be buzzing from that.

“We are coming off the back of a 42-6 drubbing against Bradford so it is two teams in different moods, but we have been able to concentrate fully on this game this week.

“It is a one-off, it’s 80 minutes of rugby league and hopefully we can put in a good performance this week. It is a big thing playing at Wembley, but over the last few years we’ve had some big games, including the Grand Final last year.

“We have got experience of knockout rugby and generally this team performs in those sort of games. Hopefully they can take that experience into Saturday and it will stand us in good stead, but nothing can prepare you for playing at Wembley and we’ll have to get used to it very quickly.”

Bulldogs received a boost this week when Leeds Rhinos confirmed dual-registered full-back Luke Hooley can play in the final.

“He has contributed massively to what we have achieved here over the last three years and getting to this final, he has played a massive part with his goal kicking,” Lingard said of Hooley.

“It would have been hugely disappointing for him if hadn’t got the opportunity, because you never know if you’re going to get the chance again.”