Wigan Warriors coach Shaun Wane has credited his team's run to the Super League Grand Final to learning the lessons of last year.
The Cherry & Whites captured the league leader's shield last season but went on to lose 12–13 in the semi-finals against Leeds Rhinos.
Wane's men avenged that defeat on Friday to set up a clash with Warrington Wolves, who were last year's beaten finalists.
On reflection, the 49-year-old said that he did not prepare his team in the right manner for last year's last-four encounter, but believes that he has got the balance right this time around.
"I've tried to rest players and we've approached our training sessions in a different manner towards the back end of the season because it's a tough old year," Sky Sports News quotes him as saying.
"We've looked after the players a bit better and they were saying they felt really fresh going into the Leeds game. Going into the same game last year, they didn't feel fresh. We've fixed that and we can give ourselves a chance of being fresh next week and putting a performance in.
"At the end of the day, we're in two cup finals this year and we were fourth in the competition so it's been fairly good but it will be even better with a win next week."
Wigan beat Hull FC 16-0 at Wembley in August to win the Challenge Cup for a record 19th time.
Michael Penkman
