WHEN Londoner Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook headed north from Harlequins to St Helens in 2011, one of the ticks he will have expected on his to do list will have been Wembley.

It was a fair expectation given that Saints had reached the Challenge Cup final with routine regularity since 1996.

Nine seasons in and Championship side Halifax stand in the way of him running out at the national stadium for the first time – a situation the Bermondsey-born packman describes in his own inimitable way.

“I am a massive football fan – but my football team has been to Wembley more times than me and that should never be happening when you play for St Helens and support Millwall.

“It has always been there – a nagging thing in my head – it has been one of my dreams to play at Wembley and if I can do it with this club, after being up here nine years, it would be fantastic,” McCarthy-Scarsbrook said.

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He is not taking Halifax lightly – particularly given they have beaten Super League opposition – London – en route to the semi.

“We can’t dis Halifax. They are going to come out all guns blazing.

“We can’t look past them we have to tackle what is in front of us.

“You start looking past teams and that is when you get bitten on the bum,” McCarthy-Scarsbrook said.

The versatile forward, who can play prop, second row, loose forward and - at a push centre – has slowly been regaining full match fitness after a MCL injury on Good Friday put him out for five matches.

Admitting to getting flogged a quite a bit by the club conditioner Matty Daniels and the physios, the 33-year-ol slotted straight back into the team ready for an assault on the big games ahead.

And they are determined to take the extra steps to silverware after losing both semis last term.

“We are doing well. We are carrying on momentum from last year – although we got hurt at the back end.

“We are hungry to get two trophies on the mantelpiece this season,” he said.