Stuart Fielden today spoke of the injury heartbreak that will keep him from Saturday's Powergen Challenge Cup Final.

Speaking exclusively to the Telegraph & Argus, Fielden revealed that as soon as he collided with Hull's Jason Smith last week he knew his trip to Cardiff was ruined.

"I am absolutely gutted," said Fielden, who will be out for between four and nine weeks with a 'ruptured or torn' post cruciate ligament in his left knee.

"To be honest, the amount of pain I was in I thought it could have been a lot worse. I knew as soon as it happened that I wouldn't make the final.

"To get all this way and then, teasingly, just a week before the final I get the injury. I am gutted."

And Fielden revealed he may not even make the trip to Cardiff, he is seeing a specialist today and may have to undergo exploratory surgery later this week which would take priority over travelling to Wales.

"I am going to feel terrible when the game is on," continued Fielden, whose anticipated head-to-head with arch-rival Barrie McDermott will not now take place at the Millennium Stadium.

"If I am down there I would have to put a brave face on for the other lads but if I am just watching it on the box I can be as miserable as I like."

Fielden's absence from Saturday's sell-out clash is all the more unfortunate because of his excellent injury record.

Despite regularly playing 80 minutes despite the demands of the front row, he has never missed more than three weeks with injury.

"Me and fate, we generally we get on," added Fielden. "I've been lucky with injuries on the whole. In more than 200 games I have never really missed out.

"Now it is up to the lads to get the job done."

Meanwhile, coach Brian Noble could face a prop headache today when the RFL decide whether Richard Moore, the obvious replacement for Fielden, has a case to answer after being put on report for leading with the knees against Hull.