This doesn’t look like the same Huddersfield Giants who only just managed to secure their Super League status five months ago.
And a thoroughly-deserved 12-0 trial triumph at Warrington says it all.
They look fitter, stronger and faster – and by quite some distance – than in 2016, while they also appear to have far more strength-in-depth in this squad, with all 22 players on show proving they could do a quality job in this season’s top flight.
And when considering the fact that new arrivals Jake Mamo and Lee Gaskell and top prop Sam Rapira were sitting out the contest, head coach Rick Stone could experience quite a few selection headaches as the campaign gets under way.
Admittedly, Warrington also had several senior players absent for Wolves forward Ben Harrison’s benefit game.
But that certainly shouldn’t detract at all from what Huddersfield served up on the night, which was very closely observed by former Giants captain Brett Hodgson, who was at the game in his capacity as Widnes assistant coach ahead of Stone taking his team to the Vikings for next Friday’s Super League XXII opener – he looked suitably impressed.
The sides may have been locked at a very rare 0-0 at the break, but there were so many positives to whet the Giants’ fans appetites.
The Giants were the better side from minute one to 40, looking far sharper and physically dominant in contrast to their hosts.
It was no surprise, therefore, that it was Huddersfield who created the better chances.
Spilt possession twice prevented potential scores within the opening 15 minutes.
Let’s put that down to a first run-out of the year for the senior boys.
And later in the half, Jermaine McGillvary (twice), Daniel Smith and Michael Lawrence were held up over the try-line, while Warrington were also forced to drop out from under their posts after a Danny Brough grubber almost carved an opening.
During that promising opening period, it was also good to see 19-year-old Darnell McIntosh looking so calm and assured at full-back, and new signings Dale Ferguson, Shannon Wakeman and Paul Clough making their presence felt, even though fans knew what to expect from second rower Ferguson on his return to the club.
And the Giants continued to dominate after the interval, eventually taking the lead in the 47th minute with an absolute belter.
A reverse Danny Brough pass on halfway sent Ryan Hinchcliffe clear and he fed Tom Symonds, who in turn released Ryan Brierley to finish off under the posts for Brough to land the conversion.
Warrington responded well to quickly force a first Huddersfield drop-out, which was then immediately followed with a small flare-up to demonstrate there’s no such thing as a ‘friendly’ in rugby league.
But even when mass substitutions started to be enforced, it was the Giants who looked as if they had more to offer, extending their lead to 12-0 in the 67th minute with a thoroughly-deserved converted try under the posts by the very lively Kruise Leeming.
In the final 10 minutes the visitors went on to show they can back up some positive attacking flare with some steel-like defence to contain the Wolves’ bite, which they completed effectively.
So, all in all, a very encouraging night indeed.
Warrington Wolves: Johnson; Russell, Evans, Atkins, Lineham; Patton, Gidley; Crosby, Clark, Sims, Westerman, Hughes, Cooper.
Subs: Dwyer, Savelio, King, Blythe, Mitchell, Wilde, Livett, Moran.
Huddersfield Giants: McIntosh; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Mellor, Murphy; Brough, Brierley; Ikahihifo, Leeming, Ta’ai, Ferguson, Lawrence, Hinchcliffe. Subs: Symonds, Wakeman, Roberts, O’Brien, Clough, Mason, S Wood, Smith, Ormsby.
Referee: Chris Campbell.
