COULD yesterday's defeat to leaders Leeds signal the beginning of the end of the Giants' bid to finish the season in a top six play-off spot?

This defeat, Huddersfield's eighth in the last 10 top-flight games, means the Giants have slipped out of the top six for the first time this season.

It's a bitterliy disappointing statistic given the magnificent start coach Jon Sharp's men made to the season.

But while new sixth-placed occupants Wakefield have been rewarded for some tremendous performances in recent months, the Giants have suffered a major dip over the same period and the switch of positions has taken no-one by surprise.

Yet the mood inside the Giants camp immediately following this latest reversal was far from downbeat.

Yesterday may have been the sixth time in those last 10 games that Huddersfield have conceded over 40 points in a match.

But there were more than enough signs to suggest against the in-form Rhinos that the Giants' slump may be about to come to an end.

Despite being without three key players in Crabtree, Gene and Reilly, there were large chunks of the game when the home side more than held their own against their full-strength opponents.

And the Giants were also having to play with the handicap of referee Karl Kirkpatrick seemingly intent on penalising their every minor indiscretion in the opening quarter.

Was it any surprise, therefore, that Sharp's side were 12-0 down inside nine minutes after being on the wrong end of a 5-0 penalty count!

The Giants were also very much down on their luck, with the bounce of the ball almost always favouring Leeds.

They do say, however, that you make your own luck and that was arguably the case again yesterday.

Because it was during the home side's best spell for a 25-minute peiod in the second half when the bounce of the ball and the favourable calls went their way.

Huddersfield's first try in the 52nd minute from Brandon Costin came after the Giants were very fortunate to have won a scrum when the ball appeared to come off Hefin O'Hare.

And for the second score four minutes later, the bounce which accompanied Costin's delicate kick-through was cruel in the extreme for Leeds full-back Richard Mathers and right for O'Hare to palm the ball back for Evans to score.

Yet by that stage the damage had already been done.

Leeds had built up a 30-0 lead and were in relative cruise control.

Up until scoring their fifth try a minute after the restart they were the dominant force, although the Giants still enjoyed their moments of pressure on the Leeds' line.

In that nighmare opening for the Giants, Wayne McDonald and Marcus Bai both crossed for tries, converted by Kevin Sinfield, and the signs looked ominous.

But it took 16 more minutes for former Giants coach Tony Smith's side to extend their lead with a Chris McKenna score and then the stroke of half-time to add try No4 through Rob Burrow, with Sinfield again adding the goals.

But even though the Giants spent a lot of the time on the back foot they did create chances.

Stuart Jones had a try ruled out on a video referee call, Costin was halted on the line and missed a penalty, and Paul March and Sean Penkywicz both embarked on good breaks.

It was a sign the Giants were far from dead and buried.

However, within a minute of the restart Danny McGuire crossed in the corner and the alarm bells once again starting ringing.

Thankfully, the Giants knew exactly how to respond.

For the next 25 minutes, the balance of power experienced a total shift.

The pressure was eventually rewarded as Costin danced through the defence to score a try under the posts, converted by Paul White, before the dependable Evans crossed out wide.

Jon Grayshon and Stuart Donlan both came close to closing the gap before two late Leeds tries from Willie Poching and McKenna took some of the gloss off the second-half revival.

* Huddersfield's Junior Academy side returned to winning ways with a thrilling 43-38 win over London Broncos at Syngenta - report tomorrow.