THE niggling disappointment of a previous Challenge Cup exit will provide Simon Grix with all the motivation he needs for Saturday’s quarter final against Hull KR.

Wolves travel to Craven Park on Saturday, kick off 5.30pm, in a repeat of the 2006 quarter final, which they lost 40-36 against their then National League opponents.

The 23-year-old former Halifax man is one of only five players from that team still at the club, the others being Chris Bridge, Jon Clarke, Ben Westwood and Paul Wood.

It should have been an enjoyable day for Grix, as he started his first game for Warrington at his preferred position of loose forward, but instead it became memorable for all the wrong reasons, Warrington losing their first ever cup game against lower division opposition.

But his bad luck against Rovers does not stop there.

In last year’s early-season win on Humberside, Grix was laid out by a dangerous high tackle from Stanley Gene.

The ankle ligament damage suffered as a result of that challenge kept him out of action for three months, while Gene unbelievably received only a one-game ban for the offence.

Plus, Wolves’ only defeat in the last six games came at the hands of Hull KR during this year’s Murrayfield Magic event.

But Grix insists revenge will not be on his mind when he takes to the field on Saturday, although a desire to make amends certainly will.

He said: “I’ve totally forgotten about last year’s game.

“It happens, you can’t do much about it and I don’t hold a grudge. It’s one of those things.

“But I am thinking about the last quarter final when we let ourselves down and at Murrayfield we let ourselves down.

“They’re a good team, they play for 80 minutes, which is what we’re starting to do recently as well.

“I remember how bad we were in that quarter final. I didn’t have a particularly good game and I don’t think anyone on the team that day could say they had a good game.

“I remember their crowd got right behind them and that’s something we’ll face again this weekend.

“The five that are still here from that day don’t bear a grudge as such but we feel like we have to make up for that because we felt we should have won that day.

“In the back of your mind is the fact that we didn’t show up when we should have so we need to be there this week.”

Since returning from a shoulder injury sustained during Wolves’ play-off exit against Catalans Dragons last year, Grix has established himself as a key member of the current squad.

Injuries across the backs mean Grix has become a regular selection at centre and his consistently strong performances earned him a one-year contract extension last week, keeping him at The Halliwell Jones Stadium until 2010.

Those performances had not gone unnoticed by Warrington’s Super League rivals, with a handful of clubs showing an interest in the utility player who has popped up with five tries in 11 games this season.

But there was never any doubt where Grix’s future lay, especially as he feels Wolves are on the verge of something special.

He said: “I think we’ve got a good squad and a good coach and in the next 18 months we’ll hopefully do something.

“I enjoy it, I’ve got all my friends here. It’s always hard if you decide to leave because it’s like starting again really.

“I think we’re on the edge of doing something now and I want to be part of it.

“I think we’ve progressed steadily so far. We’re getting better every week and come next year, we’ll be like a different team I think.

“Tony Smith’s been one of the best coaches about for ages and we’ve also got Jimmy Lowes, who’s a good coach and will pick up loads off Tony.

“With the little changes Tony’s making now, a full pre-season and the chance to bring in a couple of players he thinks we need, I think we can improve again next year.”