IT was just like a return to the bad old days of Super League!

Huddersfield travelled to Bradford Bulls on Sunday, with damage limitation at the top of the agenda.

In so many ways it was reminiscent of the Giants' early days in Super League when trips to the top clubs were something to be feared.

Yet in so many other ways the contrast could not have been greater.

Just four years ago, damage limitation would have been the name of the game if the Giants had travelled to Odsal with a full-strength side.

But six days ago the reason for having to concentrate on trying to keep the scoreline against the Bulls respectable was because of the Giants' current injury crisis.

It's bad enough playing at the world champions with a full-strength side.

But to face the Bulls with 10 senior players missing was nothing short of a nightmare.

Just imagine what the score would have been had a Giants team at the very start of its Super League life been lacking the services of 10 established senior players?

It may not be too much of an exaggeration to suggest their opponents could be pushing towards the century mark.

For example, a Huddersfield Giants team travelled to Leeds Rhinos on July 16, 1999 with six regulars missing and ended up suffering a then Super League record 86-6 defeat.

And, remember, Leeds were neither the Super League champions or world club champions at the time.

But despite coach Jon Sharp travelling to Odsal on Sunday without 10 senior players, several others being forced to play while still carrying injuries and two teenagers being handed their debuts on the bench, the brave Giants kept the scoreline to 40-12.

In fact, they restricted the Bulls to five tries - two in the final 10 minutes when tiredness understandably took its toll - and scored two quality scores of their own.

It really was a heart-warming performance and one that surely proved beyond any doubt that the Giants are now a solid and respected member of the elite Super League club.

Never before in the club's Super League existence have they been so strong in the face of such adversity, and for that coach Jon Sharp should feel justifiably proud.

He is moulding together a squad with the right blend of youth and experience and is bringing the best out of all the players under his command.

Surely, the best is still to come!