Warrington Wolves 22 Huddersfield Giants 34

10:35pm Friday 31st August 2007

COULD the unthinkable actually happen?

Could Wolves' injury woes prevent them from reaching the play-offs altogether?

Wolves looked to be headed for fourth place a month ago after four straight wins but even their place in the top six is now in jeopardy following Friday's home defeat.

Wolves never got going and looked for all the world like a side struggling to even get on the field, never mind win, such is their injury list.

That was added to when Paul Wood was carried off with a serious shoulder injury and the sight of the prop being attended to by ambulance staff before being taken to hospital was not a happy one for the players as they returned to the dressing room at half time.

It may help to explain a disappointing second-half display after the first half had ended all square.

Victory for Huddersfield moved them above Wolves into fifth and, with winnable fixtures remaining, made them favourites for a top five spot along with Hull.

After that it is anyone's guess. Wolves, Wigan and Wakefield are separated by one point but all three have at least one tricky fixture remaining.

Paul Cullen, who says reaching the play-offs will be a greater achievement than ever this year because of the club's injury problems, reckons one victory may be enough for Wolves.

But he acknowledged that they may need two to be sure, meaning two points could yet be needed at league leaders St Helens tomorrow.

Friday's result meant Wolves ended their home league campaign with six wins and seven losses.

And it was not the goodbye to The Halliwell Jones that Henry Fa'afili, Brent Grose or Chris Leikvoll wanted, although they still said an emotional farewell to fans before being given a guard of honour by their teammates.

Injury-hampered Lee Briers was not on form with the boot, with both sides finishing the match with five tries each. But the performance of Ben Westwood, who scored a hat-trick in his less favoured position of centre, was a plus.

Nevertheless, Huddersfield were able to record their second Halliwell Jones win of the season, even if they can thank their lucky stars that injuries reduced Wolves to a shadow of their normal selves on both occasions.

Remaining fixtures: Hull: Leeds (A). Bradford (H). Huddersfield: Wakefield (H), Hull KR (A). Warrington: St Helens (A), Salford (A). Wigan: Hull KR (A), St Helens (H). Wakefield: Huddersfield (A), Leeds (A).

engage Super League Round 25, August 31, 2007.

Warrington Wolves 22 Huddersfield Giants 34.

Wolves: Brent Grose; Kevin Penny (1t), Martin Gleeson, Ben Westwood (3t, 1g), Henry Fa'afili (1t); Jon Clarke, Lee Briers; Paul Wood, Mark Gleeson, Paul Rauhihi, Andy Bracek, Adrian Morley, Ben Harrison. Subs used: Chris Leikvoll, Rob Parker, Steve Pickersgill, Lee Mitchell.

Giants: Chris Thorman (7g); Rod Jensen (1t), Jamahl Lolesi (1t), Chris Nero, Paul Reilly; Kevin Brown (1t), Brad Drew (1t); Darrell Griffin, Ryan Hudson (1t), John Skandalis, Stuart Jones, Andy Raleigh, Stephen Wild. Subs used: Eorl Crabtree, Paul Jackson, Robbie Paul, Michael Lawrence.

Referee: Richard Silverwood.

Scoring: Fa'afili beats Jensen from dummy half after Briers' 40/20, 4mins, 4-0; Hudson darts through Wood's tackle after Bracek had knocked on from the restart, 6mins, Thorman converts, 4-6; Westwood exchanges passes with Morley, 11mins, 8-6; Drew surges through the middle of Wolves' defence, 29mins, Thorman converts, 8-12; Penny touches down Briers' grubber, 40+mins, 12-12; Mark Gleeson's pass is intercepted by Jensen and Penny's brave chase cannot halt the Australian's 100m dart to the Wolves line, 47mins, Thorman converts, 12-18; Thorman kicks 20m penalty after Rauhihi's spear tackle is put on report, 59mins, 12-20; Lolesi's try is awarded despite a dubious grounding from Drew's grubber, 62mins, Thorman converts, 12-26; Westwood drives through Jensen's tackle after collecting a pass from Grose, 70mins, 16-26; Brown intercepts Briers' stray pass, 73mins, Thorman converts, 16-32; Westwood receives' Grose's pass and completes hat-trick, 76mins, Westwood converts from touchline, 22-32; Thorman lands penalty, 80+mins, 22-34.

Pens: Wolves 6 Giants 9.

Scrums: Wolves 8 Giants 9.

Attendance: 8,843.

Warrington Guardian top men: Westwood 3pts, Fa'afili 2pts, Harrison 1pt.

Interesting note: Wolves' average attendance for home league games this season was 10,514 - an increase on last year's figure of 10,407.