HUDDERSFIELD Giants must be sick of the sight of Wolves.

This was a sixth straight win over the Yorkshiremen, a sequence that includes a 47-0 play-offs success, a 33-6 Challenge Cup semi-final victory and a 28-2 Super League win in the snow at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Wolves keep on inflicting huge ‘let downs’ on Tony Smith’s former club, this latest one as Huddersfield’s title challenge was gathering momentum from five successive wins – a feat that attracted this season’s biggest crowd to the John Smith’s Stadium.

But Wolves spoilt their party with a performance described by head of coaching and rugby Smith as their best of the season so far.

From the point Wolves went 16-6 in front in the 24th minute, Huddersfield never looked likely winners and that is credit to the visitors’ defensive display.

They soaked up the best that Danny Brough and company could throw at them, while proving to be clinical – especially in the first half – in finishing off the chances that came their way. The double strike in seven minutes from Trent Waterhouse and the brilliant opportunist effort from Stefan Ratchford were evidence to that.

Wolves’ trump card was the pack.

Just as they did in the snow in March, the forwards bossed their heavier counterparts.

Each surging run by a Giant was gunned down by sniper fire, so much so that Wolves’ defence was broken only once.

Huddersfield did add a second try when trailing 28-6, but that was a gift from an unfortunate Chris Riley knock on rather than any tackles being missed.

That debut try for Huddersfield’s Kruise Leeming was not the spark of a home revival though.

A month ago, a team would perhaps have got a roll on against Warrington from such an incident – especially a Wolves team missing six regular starters. But this is an improving campaign.

And although Wolves’ attack was not as fluent in the second half – even when Brough was in the sin bin – the defence never waivered.

Garreth Carvell, Bennie Westwood, Paul Wood and Micky Higham were immense in laying the foundations, but there was not a poor performer in their ranks.

 

 

INTERESTING NOTES

Brett Hodgson’s conversion to Micky Higham’s try took him over the 1,000 points mark in European rugby league. He has now scored 629 points for Warrington since 2011, with 384 points having been scored for his first British club Huddersfield between 2009 and 2010.

The 8,585 attendance was Huddersfield’s highest at home so far this season.

Trent Waterhouse scored his first Super League tries of the season.

Ryan Atkins has now scored tries in five successive Warrington games.

 

 

Super League Round 14

Sunday, May 5, 2013
Huddersfield Giants 12
Warrington Wolves 34

Giants: Scott Grix; Jermaine McGilvary, Leroy Cudjoe, Aaron Murphy, Matty Dawson; Danny Brough, Luke Robinson; Larne Patrick, Shaun Lunt, Craig Kopczak, Jason Chan, Dale Ferguson, Michael Lawrence. Subs: Eorl Crabtree, Ukuma Ta’ai, Anthony Mullally, Kruise Leeming.

 

Wolves: Brett Hodgson; Rhys Williams, Simon Grix, Ryan Atkins, Chris Riley; Stefan Ratchford, Richie Myler; Chris Hill, Mick Higham, Paul Wood, Ben Westwood, Trent Waterhouse, Mike Cooper. Subs: Garreth Carvell, Ben Currie, Danny Bridge, Glenn Riley.

Scoring: McGilvary try, 4mins, Brough conversion, 6-0; Higham try, 7mins, Hodgson conversion, 6-6; Waterhouse try, 17mins, 6-10; Waterhouse try, 24mins, Hodgson conversion, 6-16; Ratchford try, 29mins, Hodgson conversion, 6-22; Hodgson try, 53mins, Hodgson conversion, 6-28; Leeming try, 56mins, Brough conversion, 12-28; Atkins try, 70mins, Hodgson conversion, 12-34.

Pens: Giants 10 Wolves 10

Referee: Ben Thaler

Attendance: 8,585

Top man: Garreth Carvell