Huddersfield Giants winger David Hodgson sets sights on play-offs

Sep 2 2009 by Peter Barrow, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Winger David Hodgson sets sights on play-offs

GIANTS winger David Hodgson has set a new target for success this season with a place in the Super League Grand Final the aim.

The 28-year-old, who heads the Giants Super League try-scorers list with 16 this season, added to his touchdown tally at Wembley in Huddersfield’s 25-16 Challenge Cup Final defeat by Warrington but Hodgson felt the squad now needed to turn their sights to a new target as quickly as possible.

“We have still got a great chance to do well in Super League and we cannot let the cup final defeat drag us down,” said Hodgson.

“We have got another game that matters against Celtic Crusaders on Saturday and we have got to put in a good performance in Wales.

“We have got Wigan after that and we have to put ourselves in the best position we can to do ourselves justice in the play-offs.”

Hodgson was delighted that he scored a try on the big occasion last Saturday – but wished that it could have arrived sooner rather than later.

The 28-year-old’s touchdown five minutes from time gave Huddersfield a lifeline against the Wolves, but he admitted that they were already clutching at straws as the Challenge Cup seemed destined for Warrington.

“I would have liked to have scored that try 15 minutes earlier,” said Hodgson, who was in Wigan’s beaten cup final side against St Helens in 2004 at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

“It is great to get a try in a final – it is so good to do that on the big occasion – but sadly for the team it was too late.

“But Warrington put pressure on us from the off and we started a bit poorly, and because of that we made it hard on ourselves.