Josh Charnley striving to be better than he was

Drew Darbyshire

Warrington star Josh Charnley says he tries to prove doubters wrong every time he takes to the field.

The 27-year-old returned to rugby league midway through the 2018 campaign after a stint with rugby union outfit Sale Sharks.

Charnley has been one of the most prolific wingers since his return to the 13-aside code though, scoring 22 tries in 20 games.

The England international took a lot of criticism following his move to Warrington, but he is still aiming to prove the doubters wrong as he prepares for a Challenge Cup final against Catalans Dragons on Saturday.

He said: “I had a lot of criticism when I came back saying that I wouldn’t be the player I was but I strive every week to be better than what I was.

“So, to come back and play as often as I have is good but I haven’t had silverware in a few years so I am looking for that.

“It is incredible playing at Wembley. The atmosphere is great with all the horns going off, so it is a good atmosphere to be involved in.

“I would love to win it [Challenge Cup]. I didn’t really expect to be playing in a final within my first few months of being back in league. I’ve been down to Wembley twice and won it both times so I don’t want to lose on my third time.”

The Wolves thrashed the Dragons 56-6 in the Super 8s two weeks ago, but Charnley is not reading too much into that victory.

He added: “They had a completely different team.

“They rested probably 80% of their team but we know they have got a big pack. They have got a few smart players and we are expecting a totally different team but I think we will be alright if we do our job right.

“The lads are looking good. We have got a lot of belief and we are pushing each other to do well. Hopefully we can have a good week training going into the weekend and crack on.”