Playing in a Wembley Cup final is a dream, but it’s all about getting the job done – Luke Gale

We got the job done last Thursday, eventually. I don’t think it was pretty, but I thought it was a good performance in parts – especially in the circumstances.

Everyone was probably thinking about the Challenge Cup final and credit to Hull, they came to Headingley at short notice and went hard at us in the first 15-20 minutes.

We finally got our game together and the most important aspect is we all came through unscathed, as well as getting the win. Now we can look forward to the week’s build up.

It is not going to be a normal Wembley week, especially with us having a game on Tuesday.

Good luck to all the boys who play in that, against Warrington. I am sure the young lads involved will do the club proud, like they did against Catalans.

In terms of the final, we are used to playing behind closed doors now and to all the changes we’ve had to make because of coronavirus.

It is a Cup final in a much bigger stadium, but there’s nothing about this week that we haven’t faced before over the past two months.

Even so, it is disappointing there won’t be a crowd. I am not sure why they can’t allow families or social distance safely in a 90,000-seater stadium. That’s beyond me and it is frustrating, I would be lying if I said otherwise, but it will be all business.

That is the good thing, we have a job to do and we are focusing on that, not anything else surrounding it.

When I came back to Leeds I wanted to play in finals and big games for my hometown club so to be in this situation is fantastic.

It is massive for me and the club.

I think how we have gone about our business this year has been very good; we are in the top-four in the league and at Wembley and I don’t think, at the start of the year, many people gave us a chance of doing either.

You look at where Leeds bowed out of the Cup last year, against Bradford and I think the team has come a long way.

Rich Agar has done a great job and for me, to be leading the team out at Wembley is a massive honour.

It is something I am really proud of and it will be a privilege to lead these boys out.

To go on and lift the Cup would obviously mean a lot, with me being a Leeds lad and playing here as a junior.

It has probably been a dream of mine since I was a kid, I used to go to finals with my mum and dad every year and I watched the greats lift the trophy so it would be a highlight of my career, but we have got to go and get the job done first and we are playing a good team. It will be a tough game.

This is the second year on the trot Salford have got to a final, they have a good coach and they work hard.

I think they are a group of men who dig in for each other.

Every final is a tough one, you know you are going to have to play your best footy to win and that’s what we expect to do.

We have to play our best footy.

I have been asked if I have a point to prove after what happened in 2017 when I was at Castleford and we lost to Leeds in the Grand Final, after being the top side in Super League all year.

I think I learned from that, but every time I get beaten I feel like I have a point to prove.

The manner in which we lost in 2017 was bitterly disappointing, but I will play Saturday’s game in the manner I have been doing all year.

There will be no particular point to prove, or anything like that.

It will be all business and hopefully we will get the job done.

The big thing for us is to play our game.

If we do that and do what we have been doing for the last few weeks, we can be confident against anyone.

We played well against Wigan and got the job done against Hull.

We are a team in form, we know what we have got to do and what works for us and what we need to do better.

It is going to be an enjoyable week and it is one I am looking forward to.

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