O'Meley ready for rugby league farewell

Hull's Australian prop Mark O'Meley is hoping for one last hurrah on the biggest stage in England before he packs up his bags and returns home.

The 32-year-old, who is nearing the end of his fourth and final season in Super League, is desperate to play in a Challenge Cup final and is just 80 minutes away from realising his dream.

Holders Warrington stand in the way of former NSW Origin and Australia representative O'Meley and his Hull team-mates in tomorrow's second semi-final at Huddersfield.

'I've never been this far before,' he said. 'We've been knocked out pretty early the last three years.

Mark.Getty Image

'I've been to watch two finals since I've been over and the atmosphere and the crowd was amazing.

'I thought it would be awesome to play there. I kept saying 'this is the pinnacle of rugby league'.

'I haven't been to a Super League Grand Final so I can't compare it with that but everyone says the Challenge Cup is the biggest one.

'It was certainly good to go and watch. It had an Origin feel to it with the atmosphere and how big the stadium was.'

Hull are the underdogs as they look to book their first trip to Wembley since 2008.

They have lost their last five league matches but are the last team to beat Warrington and O'Meley, the former Canterbury and Sydney Roosters front rower who made 10 Origin appearances for the Blues and won 15 international caps, insists their form is not as bad as their results suggest.

'We're not far away,' he said. 'It's been three points one week, a field goal the next, it's not as if we're getting 40 put on us.

'It's about being patient and hanging in. We need to show that passion and to put in a good performance.'

Hull are boosted by the return of Australian playmaker Daniel Holdsworth, who has missed their last three matches with a calf injury, while former Castleford centre Joe Arundel is set to deputise for the injured Ben Crooks.

Warrington could have England scrum-half Richie Myler back after missing their last four matches, including their 44-24 quarter-final win over Huddersfield, with a knee injury.

He has been named in their 19-man squad, along with Stefan Ratchford, Simon Grix, Adrian Morley, Ben Westwood and Paul Wood, who were all rested for last Sunday's 34-6 Super League win over Hull KR.

Centre Ryan Atkins, who is facing a lengthy lay-off with an ankle injury is Warrington's only absentee as they seek a place at Wembley for the fourth time in five years.