HUDDERSFIELD Giants finished the Super League season just as they started it - with a dramatic victory!

On the opening day of the season, Brandon Costin grabbed a last-minute try to give his side a 26-22 home win over Castleford Tigers.

And on the final day of the campaign the departing Costin was on hand to land the conversion to Paul White's matchwinning 77th-minute try that made it 28-22.

Yet that wasn't the end of the drama to a game that was full of thrills and spills, despite both teams having little to play for.

With seconds remaining, White turned from tryscorer to trysaver with a brilliant cover tackle to deny Stuart Littler his hat trick.

It was an effort that has typified the Giants' season, with coach Jon Sharp's side having gained the reputation as a team of battlers.

And it was also an effort that ensured Huddersfield's three departing heroes in Costin, club captain Darren Fleary and Julian Bailey were able to finish their Giants careers on a winning note.

In a way it was also fitting that it should be someone like White - a player for Huddersfield's future - that should come up with the winning play.

There's no question that the experienced trio, along with retired hooker Darren Turner who joined the team on a lap of honour, will prove hard acts to follow.

But with the way the likes of White, Jon Grayshon and Iain Morrison all took their chance against the City Reds, there's no reason why the Giants shouldn't continue to look upwards in Super League.

And this victory on the final day of their Super League IX campaign should help lay a solid platform for next year, when two clubs face the dreaded drop.

But the Giants had to dig deep to guarantee a hat trick of wins over Salford this season.

For large parts of the contest, the home side appeared relatively flat, with the emotional farewells for the three popular players clearly a factor.

To mark the occasion, Fleary, Costin and Bailey were the first three out of the tunnel, and the applause of admiration rang out from the Huddersfield faithful.

Yet within two minutes everyone had been brought back down to earth with a bump as Littler scored in the corner following Mark Shipway's burst.

A timely Bailey interception and superb tackle from Paul Reilly on big Gareth Haggerty prevented Salford from extending their lead.

And it came as a real relief when Costin banged over a 24th-minute penalty to put the Giants on the board.

It was a score that helped signal a Huddersfield fightback, and within three minutes Paul March's jinking run had created the opening for Grayshon to score his only try of the season.

Costin's goal made it 8-4.

But the sin-binning of Chris Nero seven minutes before the break allowed the City Reds to get straight back into the game as Sean Rutgerson powered over from close range for Chris Charles to convert and make it 10-8 at the break.

Costin's second penalty levelled the scores within two minutes of the restart before Salford edged back ahead with Littler's second try.

A third Costin penalty failed to ignite a fightback as Salford again replied with a try as Joel Caine scorched through some suspect defence to score.

A Charles goal made it 20-12 after 56 minutes and the vistors had the upper hand.

Three minutes later, however, Cliff Beverley was sent to the sin-bin for holding down and the Giants sensed their chance.

While the Australian was away James Evans and Marcus St Hilaire both scored out wide, with Costin landing one of the touchline conversions to take the home side 22-20 ahead by the 63rd minute.

Charles levelled with a 72nd minute penalty and two minutes later Nero was sent to the sin-bin for holding down for a second time.

At that stage, the smart money was on Salford.

But with three minutes to go, Grayshon latched on to a short March pass on halfway.

The forward made great ground before releasing White to finish off and score what was to prove a superb matchwinner.