We are past the point in the Super League season where Huddersfield Giants’ position in the table can be considered a fluke. This squad, filled with exciting, young British talent and led by an exciting British head coach are seemingly not content with falling agonisingly short in the Challenge Cup final three weeks ago, underlined by their fifth straight league win here.
That narrow defeat to Wigan in the cup final could have derailed Huddersfield’s season. But it is now back-to-back wins since Tottenham and the Giants are now third after a convincing victory against a Leeds side who look anything but title contenders as things stand. “What I love about this group is how quickly they’ve bounced back from the final,” their assistant coach, Luke Robinson, said.
“We spoke of using the cup as a catalyst to bigger and better things. They say you’ve got to lose one to win one and hopefully that’s the case.” Huddersfield led 22-0 after half an hour here and despite Leeds briefly threatening a fightback either side of half-time, there were only a couple of nervous moments for Ian Watson, who watched from an empty stand here after feeling unwell and opting to minimise the risk of spread among his squad. Robinson declined to say whether or not Watson had tested positive for Covid-19.
Will Pryce - one of 12 English players in their 17 here - kicked them ahead with a penalty before the outstanding Ricky Leutele scored their first try. Jermaine McGillvary was next to cross as the first half threatened to become somewhat of a procession before Leutele turned provider for Jake Wardle. Chris McQueen then added their fourth try with a fantastic interception and even so early in proceedings, it was hard to see a way back for Leeds.
“We needed to build some pressure in the first half and we didn’t do that,” Leeds coach, Rohan Smith, said. “It was a few moments that let us down more than the whole thing.” Smith is only a month into the job at Headingley but aspects of this display will remind him he has a real task on hauling Leeds back to the upper echelons of Super League. They remain well adrift of the playoffs as the final third of the season comes into view.
They narrowed the deficit on the stroke of half-time when Ash Handley crossed, and scored first after half-time courtesy of Liam Sutcliffe’s well-worked finish after a remarkable pass from Cameron Smith. However, Huddersfield managed to quell any of Leeds’ subsequent momentum and another penalty from Pryce re-established their three-score lead.
Another Giants break from deep then led to Josh Jones putting the result beyond any doubt, and while Zak Hardaker crossed for the Rhinos in the final moments, it was nothing more than mere consolation.
