Ex-Leeds Rhinos star Brett Ferres looks ahead to Featherstone Rovers' 1895 Cup final meeting with Leigh Centurions and reflects on working again with boss Brian McDermott

For Rovers, this year is about one thing - promotion to Betfred Super League.

But Ferres insists that lofty ambition will be put aside for a couple of hours when Rovers defend their 1895 Cup crown against arch rivals Leigh Centurions in the first rugby league game staged at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It is likely to be a dress rehearsal for October’s Betfred Championship Grand Final and Ferres stressed that is all that matters today.

“For me, it is one week at a time,” he said.

“It is a final so everything else goes out the window.”

Rovers are top of the Championship, one point ahead of Leigh and their only defeat so far this year was at Catalans Dragons in the Challenge Cup.

They beat Leigh 28-6 at home in February, but Ferres warned: “We know we are facing a very good side, well coached by Adrian Lam.

“They’ve got some really good things in place there and they are full-time players as well; but we are in great form, we’re a good team and we are looking forward to it

“It’s a massive occasion for the club and a trophy up for grabs.

“There’s only so many for the taking so we certainly want to put our best foot forward and get our name etched on that trophy again.”

Ferres was a Super League champion with Rhinos in 2017 and part of Rovers’ winning team at Wembley last year, but stressed the thrill of a final never wears off.

“It’s exciting, it’s a nice, shiny new stadium for us and to experience that is going to be great,” Ferres - whose previous clubs include Wakefield Trinity and Castelford Tigers - pledged.

“The atmosphere last year was really good and hopefully we can replicate that

“For the neutral fans and the respective clubs, it is going to be a great spectacle.

“It’s two really in-form teams who have recruited really well, they are above all the other clubs in the Championship and there’s a lot of pressure on both teams to do something and to put their best foot forward.”

Rovers’ preparation has been much smoother than last year, when both squads were hit by Covid and Featherstone boss James Webster - who was isolating - had to watch the final from home

Previous experience of the big stage could give Rovers, who have featured in the past two million pound games, an edge today.

“I think it helps in your build up and approach to big games,” Ferres said.

“You see a lot of teams who falter a bit, but we are lucky we’ve got a really experienced side, with good players who have played at the top level and experienced a lot of big games and finals.

“We can tap into that knowledge and experience, but it is a different set up this time.

“There were loads of issues around Covid last year and players and coaches who couldn’t make it.

“We’ve just been concentrating over the last couple of weeks on building into what will be a really good game for us.”

Rovers coach McDermott masterminded four Super League Grand Final wins during his time in charge at Leeds, as well as back-to-back Wembley triumphs in 2014 and 2015.

Ferres said he is enjoying playing under McDermott again.

“I worked with him for quite a while at Leeds and he has changed in some ways, it is a different environment - part-time - but he is really getting the best out of us as a group of players,” he said.

“The boys have bought into his philosophies and his ways and I think we’ve started to click in a few games.

“Probably not as consistently as we’d like, but it’s a long old season and we are building nicely, I think.”