Match report: Huddersfield Giants 30 - 38 Wigan Warriors

May 17 2010 by Chris Roberts, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

IT may not have been the right result.

But this performance against Super League leaders Wigan was still a million times better than last week’s humiliating Carnegie Challenge Cup ‘effort’ against Warrington.

After the 60-4 defeat to the Wolves there was always going to be a great deal of interest in how the Giants would respond.

And, thankfully, for coach Nathan Brown it was the way he would have wanted.

Wigan have been by far the most dominant side in Super League this season and just 14 days before had beaten Huddersfield 28-10 in Murrayfield as part of Magic Weekend.

On that occasion, the Giants were well beaten.

But, on the back of yet another David Hodgson hat trick, it was a totally different story this time around.

In fact, if Huddersfield had come away with the two League points it would have been a surprise to no-one.

In every department the Giants were 100% better than they were eight days ago and, hopefully, this is clear sign Brown’s men are getting back to their best.

But the Giants couldn’t have got off to a worse start.

Right from the kick-off Danny Brough sent the ball out on the full, and from the resulting penalty the position was created for Joel Tomkins to touch down in the corner.

Pat Richards was unable to convert, but it was still an ominous opening.

But with Huddersfield looking determined to make up for last week’s horrors, they wasted little time finding a response.

On the back of Leroy Cudjoe’s magnificent take of a high ball in the sixth minute, the home side launched their first attack.

Eorl Crabtree was held up on the line and the ball was quickly swept to the right for Brett Hodgson’s long cut-out to find Cudjoe to step inside and stretch out to score. Captain Hodgson converted and the Giants had the lead for the first time.

That didn’t last long, however, as the Warriors regained the lead when George Carmont finished off Karl Pryce’s strong break, and with Richards adding the extras Wigan were 10-6 ahead after 13 minutes.

But for almost the rest of the half, it was all Huddersfield.

Their second try came in the 17th minute after being awarded two quick penalties.

With Wigan on the back foot, the Giants attacked down the left for another Brett Hodgson bullet pass to send former Warriors winger David Hodgson racing in at the corner.

Richards temporarily regained the lead for the visitors on the back of a penalty after Keith Mason was placed on report for a late challenge on Thomas Leuluai.

But, again, the Giants found the perfect response, albeit following Joel Tomkins being sent to the sin-bin after a long list of illegal ‘tackles’. That came in the 26th minute and, from the next set, the ball was worked to the left for Brough to feed Paul Whatuira to crash over in the corner.

This time Hodgson converted superbly from the touchline and it was 16-12.

And it soon became 20-12.

Although Kevin Brown’s initial 40-20 kick failed to gain a reward, the Giants were able to keep applying the pressure until, eventually, Brett Hodgson, Brough and Whatuira combined send David Hodgson over for his second.