Siddal ARLFC will face Waterhead live on The Sportsman this Sunday (K.O. 1.30pm), as the 2026 Betfred Challenge Cup journey begins for 34 community clubs.
Chevinedge is set to be buzzing once more, as Siddal eagerly prepare for their First Round tie on home soil.
It will also be Jake Connor’s first game in charge as the Siddal head coach.
The Leeds Rhinos half-back and reigning Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel has been assistant coach at the Halifax-based club for a number of seasons, helping guide Siddal to back-to-back Grand Finals, as well as a League Leaders’ trophy.
But now, in 2026, he is ready to lead from the front and drive the West Yorkshire club into a big year, starting with the prestigious Challenge Cup competition on Sunday.
“We’re really looking forward to the start of the Betfred Challenge Cup this weekend with our game against Waterhead,” Connor said, who won the famous cup with Hull FC in 2017.
“Coaching Siddal is something I get a lot of satisfaction from away from training and playing the game. We have had a good couple of seasons and being part of the Challenge Cup each year is important for us as a club.”
It is a club close to his heart, having also took the field for them as a player in his younger years, and Connor is relishing his first game at the helm.
The Road to Wembley is always an exciting one, and the 31-year-old knows exactly what Sunday's game means to the people involved in the grassroots game:
“For community clubs, the chance to be part of a historic competition like the Challenge Cup is very special.
“We have all grown up watching Wembley Finals and dreaming of lifting that famous trophy. I have been fortunate to have lived out that dream, and hopefully will again, but the chance to be part of that journey is also massive for players in the community game.
“I remember last year when the Wests Warriors lads came into our dressing room at AMT Headingley at the Rhinos after the game and seeing how special it was for them to play against a Super League team and how that is on offer for teams in the early stages of the competition, was and is great.”
Siddal have also enjoyed their fair share of magical moments in the Challenge Cup; most recently the hosting of Wakefield Trinity back in 2024.
Regarded as the biggest game in their history, the day saw a capacity crowd, and was a special occasion as the home side ensured a closely fought first forty against full-time opposition.
"Last year at Siddal, we lost out at Midlands Hurricanes on a freezing cold day and the previous year we got the chance to take on Wakefield Trinity, and the lads didn’t take a backward step," Connor continued.
Chevinedge is certainly no stranger to a cup tie, and did you know that Siddal have also reached the third and fourth rounds five times in the last decade?
A win on Sunday afternoon would see them go on to host Betfred Championship's Rochdale Hornets in the Second Round ith a place in the Third Round at stake, as well as the chance to face Super League opposition for the first time.
And as the community clubs prepare for this weekend, Connor said:
“Good luck to everyone who is setting out on their Challenge Cup journey on the weekend and the first steps to Wembley.”
It's Betfred Challenge Cup Finals Day at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 30 May 2026. Book your tickets here today and enjoy our early bird prices!
