Club Call pick a 'farce', says Keiron Cunningham

Cunningham will hang up his boots at the end of the season

St Helens captain Keiron Cunningham admits that having to pick Huddersfield in the play-off semi-finals could yet prove a psychological disadvantage.

"Club Call is a farce and makes a mockery out of the opposition," the veteran Saints and Great Britain hooker, 33, told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"Common sense says you've got to choose Huddersfield, regardless of form. But, to be honest, we didn't want the call.

"If I was in that situation I'd love to be picked as it gives you incentive."

The St Helens captain, who has notched important tries in both Saints' last two games, hopes to end his career on a high by helping his team reach a fourth consecutive Super League Grand Final. And this Friday night's meeting with Huddersfield will also mean a double farewell for Cunningham.

Not only is it Cunningham's final home game - and, if Saints lose, the last of his long, glittering career - but it will also be Saints' last appearance at Knowsley Road, their home of the last 120 years.

"We'll have to play as though our life depends on it because this is our last game at Knowsley Road and we don't want to go out with a defeat," said Cunningham.

"Unfortunately it's come down to us to do the picking. When we beat Warrington, I had my fingers crossed for Wigan against Leeds as I was thinking they've got to win this game because we don't want first pick.

"But if it is to be that last game at Knowsley Road and we do get defeated, I think there would be a lot of people would rather it be Huddersfield who defeated us rather than Wigan."

With no second chances, Cunningham is all too aware that defeat in his 495th appearance for his home town club will spell an end to the season and close the curtains on what has been a long and successful career.

"I've had a long career at the club," he said. "And I'm in the frame of mind that this is my last game.

"I have to go out and play it as if it's my last game. If we progress and get through then I'll have one more go at it.

"Fingers crossed, we'll do well. We've just got to go out and do our best and, if our performance isn't good enough, then we'll get beat, it's a simple as that."

"We've got one more game in which we're playing a very talented Huddersfield side. They proved against Warrington what they can do to the top teams so we can't take them lightly.

"I set myself a goal to be playing in a Grand Final at the end of my career and I'm delighted to be in a position to achieve that."