Warrington coach Tony Smith insists that the 2009 holders will go into this year's Challenge Cup final as underdogs against Leeds at Wembley on 28 August.

Smith watched his side destroy Catalans Dragons 54-12 in Sunday's one-sided semi-final at the Stobart Stadium.

But he insists that Leeds, who narrowly saw off St Helens 32-28 on Saturday, will be the team to beat at Wembley.

"Leeds have been champions for the last few years and definitely deserve the favourites' tag," said Smith.

"We'll go in as underdogs and do our best," added Smith, whose side, although above them in the table, have twice lost to Leeds in Super League combat this season.

"We've been there in recent times and did our best and on that day it was good enough. Hopefully it will be good enough again."

Warrington only ended a 35-year wait for major silverware 12 months ago when they beat Huddersfield 25-16 at Wembley.

But, after running in nine tries against Super League strugglers Catalans, three of them from second row forward Louis Anderson, beaten coach Kevin Walters reckoned that the holders would have beaten any team on that sort of form.

"We were never in the game," admitted Walters. "They were obviously way too good for us today. The way they played, they would have beaten anyone.

"They were too good in all facets of the game. The scoreboard could have got even uglier. In the last 20 it was boys against men. They were the best team by a country mile."

Warrington coach Smith admitted: "I thought we were very good today.

"When we're playing in that sort of mode, we're very tough to beat," he told BBC Sport.

"We don't take anything for granted. We had to work for it last year and so we did today. The boys did a great job.

"Even though we scored plenty of points we had to get our defence in order and I thought we were outstanding.

"They asked some questions of us and our commitment to one another was tremendous.

Michael Monaghan brings out some of his best games in this competition Wolves coach Tony Smith

"Apart from a pushover try from dummy-half and a try from a kick late on, we answered everything they threw at us."

Half-backs Lee Briers and Michael Monaghan, who were pivotal in last year's Wembley triumph, were again a class apart as they teased and tormented the Dragons' shabby defence.

Monaghan, who won the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match at Wembley last August, again proved his ability to rise to the big occasion.

"Michael Monaghan brings out some of his best games in this competition, although he has been pretty good for us all year to be fair," said Smith. "He's been pretty influential for us."

Smith opted to start hooker Monaghan at scrum-half as a result of the way youngster Richie Myler was targeted during the Wolves' 29-28 defeat by the Dragons in Perpignan just a fortnight ago.

"They worked Myler over pretty hard," he said. "I thought we'd give the young fella a break and took him out of the fray."

Three-try hero Louis Anderson added: "Losing to Catalans a fortnight ago was a wake-up call and we didn't want to lose to them again.

"We've not been at our best in the last couple of weeks but we've put that right today," he told BBC Sport.

Warrington skipper Adrian Morley, who lifted the famous old trophy at Wembley last August, added: "It was an achievement to win the Challenge Cup last year, but to go to Wembley and defend it will be special.

"We have been building towards having a Championship-winning side at Warrington.

"Last year, to get our hands on some silverware was great but we want to be competing for those titles every year."

Meanwhile, Leeds legend Bev Risman is already insisting that this year's final has the potential to rank as the greatest in the competition's 113-year history.

Risman was on the winning Leeds team when Don Fox's infamous missed kick in front of the posts cost his side victory at Wembley in 1968.

But the former Leeds favourite, now the Rugby Football League president, predicts an all-time classic on 28 August.

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"A Wembley final between the holders of the sport's two biggest trophies is one to savour," said Risman. "I count myself fortunate that a game like this has come along during my term in office as RFL president.

"The quality of the rugby league in both semi-finals was absolutely outstanding and it all bodes well for a truly great final.

"I have to take my hat off to Warrington and Leeds for the sheer quality of rugby league they delivered this weekend.

"It was entertainment of the highest order and no-one at either stadium or the millions of people watching on TV can fail to have been blown away by the action.

"Leeds demonstrated nerves of steel to beat St Helens whilst Warrington's handling skills were exhilarating.

"Modern rugby league players are truly outstanding athletes. The skills on show throughout 2010 have been a joy to behold.

"The new Wembley is a spectacular venue and I'm sure we'll see a full house for a match involving two of the sport's best supported clubs."

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