What are your reflections on the way you played against Celtic Crusaders?
We did some okay stuff.
We’re definitely still not going as well as we were four or five weeks ago, but we got the two points and we’ve got to be happy with that.
It was also good to start a game well, which is something we hadn’t done in the two previous weeks.
But after that, our ball control was really disappointing.
We made six errors in a row in the first half and then made several more in the second half, which just isn’t good enough, and, defensively, we’ve still got a fair way to go to get to where we want to be.
We met a side who had a heartbreaking loss the week before against Castleford. They’re still striving for their first win and are suffering a fair few injuries, so we probably got them at a good time.
What they’re trying to do is really effective and their coaches are doing a great job under very difficult circumstances. I feel for them at the moment.
But even though you have sympathy for them, you will still have been delighted to have got the win, wouldn’t you?
Yes, of course. That was obviously the main purpose of the exercise for us.
We came to Murrayfield with plenty of teams on 14 points, so the win keeps us up there near the top.
The next six weeks are going to be a big period for us, Hull KR, Leeds, Castleford and Wakefield.
The reality is that Wigan, Bradford and Warrington (who are just outside a top eight play-off spots) are going to start winning some games.
They’re not going to be down there for ever, so we have to keep grinding out the results to keep some distance between them and us.
Which players pleased you most with the way they performed against the Crusaders?
I thought Scott Moore produced his best performance for some time for us.
He was obviously really good for us at the start of the year, but then dipped a little bit.
But there’s no question he re-discovered his form against the Crusaders.
And Danny Kirmond was another who put in a good effort.
He’s been developing each week and is now starting to stake a genuine claim for a starting spot in the second row on a regular basis.
It’s going to be exciting to see exactly how far he develops in the next couple of years.
Did you enjoy being part of the Magic Weekend for the first time?
I thought before we went up that it was a great concept, and I still feel that way after experiencing it.
It was the chance to play at a great venue and showcase our game to a wider audience.
It also gave us an opportunity to spend some more time together as a group, which is good, because we enjoy each other’s company so much.
But, as I said earlier, the main thing for us was to get the two points, and that’s what we achieved.
The Huddersfield fans were again magnificent for you. No doubt you’ll be hoping they come out in force against Rochdale this weekend?
Yes, the support for us all year has been great, and it really is very much appreciated.
They turned out in good numbers at Murrayfield and we hope it’s the same again on Sunday.
The club have once again put on some great offers to encourage as many fans as possible to come, because the more Giants fans we get behind us, the better.
Finally, you’ve decided to let (assistant) Paul Anderson take charge of the team this week. What’s the thinking behind that?
In terms of his development as a coach, it’s important for him to take charge sometimes.
To be honest, much of what he is doing is the same as normal.
But he’ll address the squad a lot more in the build-up to the game and then address them more on gametime.
The rest of the coaching staff will obviously still be around, because, at the end of the day, we’re all a team.
