10 years on and Briers is hoping to go all the way

Not once did he imagine he would be squeezed out again many years later by an astonishing piece of penny-pinching.

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Wolf on a mission: Briers was squeezed out of Saints' Wembley final side in '97

Payback is the last thing on Briers' mind as he returns home with Warrington to face the Challenge Cup holders in today's quarter-final, but there would be no denying the poetic justice if he were to rob them of a trip to Wembley just as they robbed him a decade ago.

Saints paid Briers just £30-agame when Bobbie Goulding's six-game ban for a high tackle in a fourth-round tie against Wigan gave the youngster his first-team break.

Briers played through the remainder of the 1997 Challenge Cup campaign, giving a man-of-the-match display in the semi-final against Salford to steer Saints to Wembley. His reward? Goulding was reinstated for the win over Bradford while the club's directors questioned whether his understudy was worthy of a Cup final suit and a place on the team bus.

"After playing in all those games, that was taking the p*** really," said Briers. "I thought I might have got on the bench, but things didn't turn out that way.

"I went down to London with a few friends for the weekend and watched it somewhere in Paddington. I was given a winner's medal. I got rid of it, but I think my mum's secretly kept it somewhere.

"At the end of the day, you're a piece of meat in rugby league. It's a cut-throat business. It happened to me but I've moved on."

By the time Cup final day rolled around, Briers was already a Warrington player.

His last game for Saints before a £65,000 move brought another man-of-the match performance as arch-rivals Wigan were handed a rare defeat at Central Park.

"Obviously, I didn't feel wanted but I would probably have left anyway," added Briers, who came through the club's junior system and still lives with his partner and two children in nearby Rainhill.

"I knew I was still going to be understudy to Bobbie and the opportunity to play first-team football was a massive incentive."

Briers, 29 next week, has seized that opportunity at Warrington throughout a decade in which he has emerged as one of the most inventive half-backs and accomplished kickers in Super League. The Wales captain's struggle to make the Great Britain squad and add to his solitary Lions cap has baffled many.

So has Warrington's failure to challenge for silverware. It is 17 years since the club appeared in a Challenge Cup final and 16 since they won the now defunct Regal Trophy.

Briers has ended three semifinals on the losing team, but not once has he thought about moving on.

"There's a lot more people in the world worse off than Lee Briers not winning a trophy," he said. "The bigger picture is to help Warrington build a team and club who, five or 10 years down the track, are going to be really big and I can play a massive part in doing that.

"The sole intention is to stay at Warrington until I retire if the club will keep me and, hopefully, I can take up a coaching role with them."

If only the current coach could look that far ahead. Paul Cullen is facing an uncertain future following a run of one win in eight Super League games that has left his side third from bottom in the table.

Briers insists victory today could turn it all around, but there are fears that another defeat to a Saints side who have twice put 40 points on Warrington at the Halliwell Jones Stadium this season may signal the end of Cullen's reign.

Briers is in no doubt where the blame lies.

"This bad run isn't about Paul Cullen, it's about the players," he said.

"He's done nothing wrong in our eyes — we just haven't played to our ability.

"Clubs tend to sack the coaches rather than sack the players. I think it's a bit harsh putting the blame on that one person when you've got 17 others.

"I'm sure Warrington will stick by Paul — I'd be disappointed if they didn't. I hope the players feel guilty and they are big enough and man enough to hold their hands up.

"Paul is a player's coach. He looks after his players a hell of a lot. Now we need to repay him."

Maybe it is about payback, after all.

St HELENS v WARRINGTON

(Today: Knowsley Road, 12.15pm, BBC1)

Saints, cup favourites and holders, recall the five senior players they rested last week and scrum-half Sean Long returns after injury.

Warrington are not so fortunate and former Saints Vinnie Anderson and Martin Gleeson are among their injured absentees. Teenage wingers Chris Riley and Kevin Penny may both start.

Prediction: Home win

BRADFORD v HUDDERSFIELD

(Tomorrow: Grattan Odsal, 2.15pm, BBC2)

Bradford, who have not lost at home to Huddersfield for 38 years, may hand a debut to new signing Tame Tupou alongside cult winger Lesley Vainikolo.

Huddersfield are less likely to give a first start to new man Rod Jensen, who is still recovering from jet lag. Ex-Bulls legend Robbie Paul can't wait to play against his old club.

Prediction: Home win

HULL v CATALANS

(Tomorrow: KC Stadium, 3.15pm)

Aussie wing Matt Sing should be fit to resume for enigmatic Hull, held to a draw at home by Huddersfield last week. Catalans, buoyed by Stacey Jones' decision to stay for another year aim to emulate Toulouse's achievement in reaching the semi-finals two years ago.

Prediction: Home win