Moore delighted by chance to take Hunslet straight back up

The much-travelled prop was in the side that endured the drop from the Championship 12 months ago.

Back then, he had been on dual-registration from Leeds Rhinos but had signed with Super League rivals Wakefield Trinity Wildcats for 2014.

However, when his second spell with Wakefield was cut short in mid-August, he received a call from Hunslet coach Barry Eaton – and is now readying himself for tomorrow’s Championship One Grand Final against Oldham.

Moore told The Yorkshire Post: “The way it ended at Wakey is not how I would have liked it to.

“I can’t say too much about it but it was disappointing how I left and I didn’t really have chance to thank the Wakefield fans who had been so loyal and supportive of me.

“But as soon as Hunslet got in touch, I wanted to come down.

“I knew Baz, initially from our time together at Crusaders.

“We had some fun times and some sad times there but he’s a great bloke, really honest and when he asked if I wanted to help Hunslet try and win promotion I didn’t think twice.

“Last year, I was in the match they got relegated. I’d love to help get them back up. I do love it at Hunslet. I enjoy going training there and it’s a credit to the club on how it’s run; there’s never too much to ask and they are always happy to help. Now we have a chance to earn promotion straight back up and I can’t wait.”

The ex-Bradford Bulls front-row added his weight again to Hunslet’s cause as they ventured to York City Knights last week and stunned the league leaders, eliminating them to set up tomorrow’s invaluable Headingley showpiece.

“I know York were the consistent team throughout the year but it is probably the reason why people like the play-offs for things like this happening,” added the 33-year-old.

“Also, for us and Oldham, I think there’s a disappointment we didn’t have a single player in the Championship One Player of the Year nominations.

“York have some great players but to be overlooked completely when we finished second did add some spice to that match on Sunday and Oldham defeated them the week before, too.”

Oldham, meanwhile, finished just a point behind Hunslet in the table but, infamously, have a wretched record when it matters most, losing five Grand Finals in the last seven years alone.

Moore, rumoured to have signed for Halifax in 2015, said: “We played Oldham earlier in the play-offs and lost by a point.

“It was a real physical game and I was impressed by them. When I was in the Bulls Academy, their coach, Scott Naylor, was in the first-team at Odsal.

“I know how psyched up he had them for these play-offs and he’ll have them ready for this so it’s going to be a tough battle.”

The prize, though, is huge – a return to the Championship and chance to face Super League foes in its new-look structure.