MARK Hewitt has told his West Hull players to go out and write a new chapter in the history of the club by winning the Grand Final. Wests take on reigning National Conference League champions Wath Brow Hornets at Widnes Vikings' Select Security Stadium tomorrow (2.30pm).
For Hewitt, reaching the showpiece of the amateur game marks the culmination of five years of rebuilding at the Green and Golds.
Having spent nine years at the club, the head coach knows all too well the talk of past successes and now he's eager for the current generation of players to be held up alongside the teams of the past.
"There is always talk about what the club did 15 years ago or in the past, but this is a chance for this group of players to write their own history and have people talk about them and what they have achieved," Hewitt told the Mail.
"I've been here nine years now and this is my first taste of the Grand Final, so I'm proud to be taking this team to the final and all the coaches at the club are proud of what this young group of players have already achieved."
West Hull have reached the Grand Final the hard way.
Controversially beaten in the first round of the play-offs at home to Siddal, they received a bye through to week two when their opponents refused to play the rescheduled game after the referee wrongly changed the format of the first encounter by insisting on a golden-point finish rather than extra-time.
An 8-6 victory at Lock Lane moved them to within 80 minutes of the Grand Final, with last weekend's 14-12 victory at Minor Premiers Thatto Heath Crusaders securing their place in the National Conference League's showpiece game.
Having already beaten two of the top three on their travels in the play-offs, it's been a difficult path to Widnes for West Hull, but Hewitt says the road to the Grand Final started way before this season.
"We said four or five years ago that if we were to improve as a club then it would take time and we needed a full rebuilding process," adds Hewitt.
"It has been a long road to get here. Five years ago we were struggling for quality players and the team wasn't the best, but we've built year on year.
"The whole club has improved, not just the first team, but our A team and the full academy set-up.
"We came close last year and were top with four games to go but we fell away and lost three of those last four games.
"This year we've hit our form at just the right time, but I've known from the start of the season that with the players we brought in and the talented young kids we've got, that we could really do something."
West Hull go into the game with Dan Parker still out, while Ryan Morrow and Jack Ridsdill are back in contention.
"We've selected a 19-man squad we think can win," adds Hewitt.
"Wath Brow have a formidable pack and a really good right edge that we need to deal with.
"It's important we are aware of that, but we cannot switch off elsewhere because they've got plenty of threats and that's why they are the reigning champions."
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