AT some stage this year we will probably start telling ourselves to stop harking back to last year’s Grand Final and focus on what is happening in the here and now.

Speaking to some of the players, they have certainly been in the mindset to move on from that night’s Old Trafford champagne bubbles ever since returning to training.

Lots of things have already been said about that night – but given this week’s announcement – further comment needs to be made.

It would have been an absolute travesty had Paul Wellens gone through his tenure as club skipper without ever picking up silverware.

If he was packing in, it would have been a story book ending fitting of Roy of the Rovers.

The imagery of the rock solid number one falling to his knees has been well documented, perhaps even more people talk about that moment than the inch-perfect delicate chip that the skipper popped over for Tommy Makinson’s winning try – but Wellens’ input to the ultimate triumph of that season go even further back.

It takes some doing to publicly lambast your team – as he did after the Etihad Magic debacle – and in the weeks that followed we saw the players subject to a greater degree of accountability.

And in adversity with the loss of key men Luke Walsh, Jon Wilkin and Jonny Lomax we saw them dig into reserves of resilience that not even the most ardent of fan thought they had.

No one player, captain, coach or assistant would or should take credit for that – it definitely was a whole group buying in – but the passion Wellens showed for the cause back then was pivotal for me.

I have seen a few players hand over the armband – not all of them in harmonious circumstances – but the one I would most expect is when Chris Joynt passed on the duties to Paul Sculthorpe at the start of 2004.

After Joynty relinquished his skippering duties he was still there to impart his huge wealth of experience. It looked like he savoured each game – especially en route to that marvellous Challenge Cup win at Cardiff.

The people who wanted Wello put out to grass at the start of 2013 or 2014 were not saying that when that ball left his boot 74 minutes into last year’s Grand Final or when he picked up the pot.

Wellens admits himself that he is not guaranteed a place – but I don’t doubt he will be there – chipping away, helping the team and jumping in where needed.

Whether he is in the 17 or not he will remain a key asset for the club going forward on and off the field.