Gutted Michael Lawrence has admitted being booed off the field has added to the Giants’ Super League XXI pain.
Huddersfield’s sorry showing in yesterday’s 10-2 home defeat to Wakefield Trinity means a place in the Middle 8s is virtually guaranteed with five top-flight fixtures still to play.
That in itself has hit the Giants hard.
But with the derby duel taking place just 24 hours after Giants Academy player Ronan Costello was left fighting for his life after suffering an injury during an Under 19s game against Salford, Lawrence admits the atmosphere around the club couldn’t be more subdued.
“We have been kept fully informed about Ronan’s condition, and all the thoughts of the squad are with Ronan and his family right now,” said the 26-year-old back-rower.
“But even though we’re all thinking about him and his family, that doesn’t excuse the way we played at all. That’s got nothing to do with it.
“Rather than look to hide behind excuses, we’ve got to look at ourselves in the mirror and accept we need to take a lot more responsibility for our actions – because I certainly don’t want to experience what we went through at the end of the game again in a hurry.
“Our performance and the manner of the defeat was pretty embarrassing, but I think we all felt even more low when we were booed off the pitch.
“I’ve been at this club a long time (around 10 years), I this is the first time that’s happened, and it does hurt.
“Up until now, the fans have been right behind us, but it looks like they may be starting to turn, and that’s another massive worry.
“Even though we’ve had our fair share of adversity this year, we know we’ve only got ourselves to blame for what’s gone on.
“It’s not a lack of effort that’s costing us, it’s jkust doing the wrong things time and again.
“We’re the only ones who can put it right.”
