THE red-hot conditions have been a factor Saints have had to take into account for team selection for today’s Challenge Cup Final showpiece at Wembley.

Coach Kristian Woolf has finalised his selection, but was keeping that close to his chest when he spoke at pitchside before yesterday’s captain’s run at the stadium.

And with a starting team that more or less picks itself, the biggest call was whether to pick all three big men – Agnatius Paasi, Matty Lees and Kyle Amor – to go with Jack Welsby on the interchange. Or drop in Lewis Dodd for one of those middles to provide some quick feet and an attacking threat to tired legs around the ruck.

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Woolf said: “I have finalised the team but we are keeping that to ourselves. Most people can pick the majority of our team, so it is not going to be too much of a secret.

“The conditions have been a big part of the way we go with the team and at the forefront of our decisions there. You have to think it both ways – the forwards are going to do it tough at times and having a good middle forward rotation is going to help.

“At the same time a bit of speed off the bench around the ruck could be a real asset too.

“We have come up with what we think is best and the conditions have been at the forefront of it.”

Apart from the disruption caused by the Sione Mata’utia ban and lost appeal, Woolf said the rest of the week has gone smoothly with the camp relaxed, but determined ahead of kick off.

“We have had a really good week,” he said.

“We trained well and the only disruption was the Sione suspension which caught us by surprise late on Monday.

“We dealt with that Tuesday and moved on and the group has done a terrific job there in how we have prepared.”

Yesterday’s captain’s run was Woolf’s first visit to Wembley in any capacity – and he was impressed with what he saw and expects today to be even better with 40,000 fans inside the ground.

“Walking through the tunnel there and looking out and you see it is a magnificent stadium.

“It makes it exciting straight away.

“It has a magnificent feel without fans and is only going to get better with them in here.”

Castleford, who like Saints have only one previous cup winner in the ranks, brought in past Wembley victors like John Joyner and Tony Marchant this week to give them a pep-talk.

Saints have tried to keep the camp normal on that score, although Woolf said: “Chairman Eamonn McManus chatted to the players during the week, but we have tried to keep it pretty normal because that is when our players play at their best.”