IN-FORM Huddersfield Giants powered back to the top of the Super League XVI table by destroying Bradford Bulls.

Until the last few seasons the men in claret and gold were being completely out-muscled and out-played by the Bulls. They were simply no match for one of the game’s modern super powers.

But not any more!

It’s now the Giants who are the bullies, producing the power and pace that Bradford are simply unable to match.

When the sides met at Odsal last June, Huddersfield powered to a 52-6 win.

And now the Giants have rattled up a second successive half-century of points to secure the easiest of victories.

An opening blitz made it all possible, with the home side crossing four times in the opening 15 minutes to race into an unassailable 18-0 lead.

That advantage had been stretched to 30-6 at the break before they took their foot off the gas in the closing stages to allow the Bulls to score two late tries for a final scoreline of 50-16 which, in truth, hardly reflected the dominance of the Giants.

Besides the nine tries Huddersfield did score, the Giants ‘bombed’ at least three others in the second period and also had no trouble whatsoever dealing with the 48th-minute sin-binning of Luke O’Donnell for interference.

In fact, Nathan Brown’s men were still the better team when they were reduced to 12 men, such was their superiority on the day.

Yet what was also so satisfying about this big win was it was achieved with a whole host of ‘stars’ sitting in the stands.

With new recruits Dale Ferguson and Jamie Simpson making their presence felt and youngster Jamie Cording making a highly effective late cameo role on full debut, the strength in depth of the Giants’ Class of 2011 is something else that’s shining through.

The likes of Lee Gilmour, Darrell Griffin, David Hodgson, Danny Kirmond and Andy Raleigh were all forced to cheer from the sidelines, while the noises coming out of the Galpharm suggest it won’t be too long before England Four Nations hero Luke Robinson is closing in on a return.

It’s now thought to be weeks rather than months before the hooker or half-back is back to full fitness after major shoulder and elbow surgery.

But with the way things have been going without him, maybe that return will be later rather than sooner!

His teammates certainly didn’t appear to miss him during this latest Super League stroll.

Within a second it was clear this might not be the Bulls’ day as they were forced to drop-out from the kick-off.