By MIKE PARSONS

WARRINGTON Wolves have been written off as no-hopers in Sunday's Silk Cut Challenge Cup semi-final against Bradford Bulls.

The media majority are expecting the Wolves to receive a hiding, the Wolves fans have shown their lack of confidence through lowly ticket sales and bookmakers have actually increased Warrington's odds on winning the cup since they came through the quarter-finals.

The Wolves have not been able to sell a corporate trip to the semi-final that they have booked.

Pundits have hit out at some Wolves players by saying they are not up to Super League standard and branded others of being past their sell-by date.

But the Guardian does not believe this to be the case and puts it to the Wolves players: 'PROVE THEM ALL WRONG!'

The negativity has been built up from Warrington's three opening Super League defeats and some unconvincing performances against lower league opposition in the cup run.

This comes on the backdrop of the bad publicity stemming from fighting in the Wigan game on March 1, the retirement of Kevin Walters three weeks ago and the news that a Warrington player has failed a random drugs test.

And it was only yesterday, Wednesday, that the players were reunited with coach Darryl Van de Velde after he had dashed home to Australia last week to visit his poorly mother.

The odds are certainly stacked against the Wolves but have the Wolves not risen from the depths before?

Very few outside of the Wolves camp gave them a chance in the semi-final against Bradford last year. But the Wolves gave the Bulls a fright for 60 minutes and had it not been for some dubious refereeing decisions they may have reached their first Challenge Cup final for 10 years.

And then there was the memorable upset on May 28, 2000, when the Bulls' 15-match unbeaten run came to an end on an epic day at Wilderspool Stadium. The Wolves had lost their previous three home games before sending the Bulls home reeling. It was the best Wolves performance for many years but came on the back of some dreadful form.

Knowing this history, with prize money at stake on Sunday, with it being some players' last chance of winning silverware in the game, it is certain that the Wolves will devote everything to winning Sunday's tie.

The club needs the financial bonuses and publicity boost to their stadium campaign which will come from an appearance in the Challenge Cup final at Twickenham on April 28. The players are well aware that nothing brings a town together like a Challenge Cup final appearance.

And the town needs the Wolves to succeed on Sunday so that it can hopefully kick-start the Super League season for the club.

Adam Jude, chief operations officer for the Wolves, said: "Write off the Wolves at your peril.

"Everyone's written us off but you can't write off a team that contains so many class players.

"The Guardian has already reported that this is possibly the most important game in the club's history because of the stadium campaign and the players will be busting a gut to get through to the final.

"What I'm excited by is the teaser of that opening 30 minutes at Wigan in the opening Super League game.

"None of the other games have got me excited but that performance was against a fantastic Wigan side.

"I feel Darryl is very innovative in his tactics and I'm sure, like last year in the semi-final and at home to Bradford, he'll have something up his sleeve.

"I am sure many Warrington fans will commit themselves to watching on television after the recent performances. But will they be able to live with themselves if the Wolves pull off one of the all-time cup shocks and they weren't there?

"Who would have given Wales a chance of leading for an hour against Australia in the World Cup semi-finals last November? The examples are there in history."