Huddersfield Giants’ Mason: Focus is now on league

Sep 1 2009 by Chris Roberts, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

“Even though Saturday was a real low point, I still feel extremely proud to be associated with this club and to be playing alongside this set of players.”

Mason did, of course, miss the Giants’ 2006 final against St Helens at Twickenham after picking up a hamstring injury on the eve of the contest.

And he admits losing a final is as painful as missing one.

“It’s hard to say what was the worse feeling, because they’re both bad,” he added.

“It’s not every day you get the chance to play in a Challenge Cup final, so to be ruled out at the last minute in 2006 was really tough to take.

“But the feeling at the end of Saturday’s match was pretty dreadful, too.

“Playing at Wembley is definitely the ultimate, but it’s right what they say about it being no place for losers.

“Yet at the end of the day, I know how lucky I’ve been to be involved in several Challenge Cup finals, especially when I think of where I’ve come from. That’s a good feeling.

“And losing one game doesn’t mean that’s the end of it for us.

“We’ve still got the chance to do something pretty special in the Super League play-offs, and hopefully losing at the weekend will make us even more determined to make sure we finish the season as strongly as possible.

“I’m sure that if we learn from what happened on Saturday we can give it a really good go.

“This could still prove to be a very good season for us.”