Sheffield Eagles’ fresh blood look to continue the club’s Wembley story – Total Rugby League

CONNOR BOWER had a viewing brief at Wembley – now he wants to follow in the footsteps of a quartet of his Sheffield team-mates playing there – and winning.

Fullback Ryan Millar, midfielder Anthony Thackeray, second row Joel Farrell and prop Blake Broadbent were part of the Eagles side that beat Widnes 36-18 at the National Stadium to lift the inaugural 1895 Cup in 2019.

Two years before that, Bower was a non-playing member of the Hull FC side that beat Wigan to win the Challenge Cup for the second consecutive year.

He had also been present when his hometown club, where he came through the development system, beat Warrington at Wembley the year before – the first time Hull had won there – and would love the chance to step in the famous lawn itself.

But the second-row knows the competition for a place is intense and, after making a try-scoring return to the Sheffield side for their recent 36-13 Championship win at home to Dewsbury, is ready to dig deep into training to stay in the head team Mark. Aston’s mind.

“The league is obviously very important because we’ve set targets that we want to achieve, but you’d be a fool not to think about Wembley,” said the 27-year-old, who played in the 30- 16 1895. stage win against Midlands at Birmingham in Feb.

“I was delighted to feature against Dewsbury and delighted to contribute to the win (Sheffield’s seventh in nine in the league).”

A 28-10 defeat against Bradford at Bartercard Odsal followed and Bower, now in his fifth season at the club after spending two with Doncaster, following his release by Hull after six years there at the end of the campaign in 2017, added: “The feeling among the lads was that we didn’t play the way we can against Bradford.

“In the first half against Dewsbury we weren’t where we needed to be and it wasn’t how we set out to start the game, although we have to give Dewsbury a bit of credit.

“We gave up a bit at halftime and in the second half we kicked on and showed more of what we’re capable of.”

Having lost 36-10 at home to Wakefield in the Championship at the start of May, Aston would no doubt accept that his side will have to be at their best to overcome the eventual favourites.

But of course the long-serving supremo knows upsets can happen at Wembley, having played scrum-half when Sheffield United defied the odds to beat Wigan 17-8 at Wembley First to win the Challenge Cup in 1998 .

Now he is eyeing a second coaching triumph at the ‘new’ stadium – and is relishing the opportunity, saying: “Get into the big one, people are excited about it and why not?”

First published in League Express Newspaper Issue 3433 (27 May 2024)

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