Danny Tickle was a St Helens season ticket-holder and his family will be at Wembley for the Carnegie Challenge Cup final on Saturday wearing their Saints regalia, offering an occasional cheer to Hull's goalkicking back-row forward, whose love for the game was first nurtured on the terraces at Knowsley Road.

“I was born in Golborne, where you could take your pick of Wigan, Warrington or St Helens,” Tickle said. “My family were big Saints fans and I grew up supporting them. I used to love watching Sonny Nickle and my brother was a big Alan Hunte fan. But I got into the Wigan town team and I'd often go to Central Park to watch Wigan play. In those days, Wigan were the team.”

After two seasons at Halifax, Tickle, 25, spent four years at Wigan and so knows what it is like to be regarded as “the enemy” by his family. “When I played in the 2004 final for Wigan, at Cardiff, they were all there supporting St Helens, so I'm used to it,” he said. “We lost that year and I lost a Grand Final with Wigan the year before. I'm due one, although ask anyone outside Hull who's going to win and they'll say St Helens.”

Tickle's two early tries and cool-headed place-kicking in a frantic semi-final against Wakefield Wildcats steered Hull to an unlikely cup final appearance, for which the club - a place off the bottom of the engage Super League after a horror run of injuries - are overwhelming underdogs. St Helens are targeting a third successive cup triumph and their focus and confidence are such that they will spurn the 40-year tradition of the eve-of-final walkabout.

“I can understand why Saints are such hot favourites when you look at how they've been playing,” Tickle said. “We've nothing to lose and, since the semi, our focus has been on this match. They have quality players across the park, but we have players who won the cup with Hull in 2005 and plenty with Super League and NRL Grand Finals experience. We've turned Saints over before and we're definitely capable of doing it again.”

- Leeds Rhinos have signed Greg Eastwood, a 21-year-old New Zealand forward, from Brisbane Broncos on a three-year contract as replacement for Gareth Ellis, the England forward, who is joining Wests Tigers in the NRL next season. The move to Leeds results in Eastwood, whose father was born in Huddersfield, being reunited with Brian McClennan, the former Kiwis coach.