He's the coach credited with starting the Huddersfield Giants’ Super League revolution.

But Tony Smith could very soon be the man looking to end the Giants’ dream of reaching a first Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford on Saturday, October 5.

If Huddersfield secure a preliminary semi-final triumph over Hull FC at the John Smith’s Stadium on Thursday, there’s a good chance coach Paul Anderson’s men could be heading to Smith’s Warrington Wolves for a qualifying semi-final a week later.

Smith’s Warrington now have the ClubCall pick for who they want as their opponents after beating Leeds 40-20 at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Saturday.

And with Huddersfield having lost three times to the Wolves this season – twice in the League and once in the Challenge Cup – there’s a good chance Warrington will be seriously thinking about the possibility of making it four out of four.

With a Grand Final place at stake, it’s pretty obvious Smith won’t shed a tear if the Wolves make progress at the expense of his former club – particularly as it was the Giants who denied Warrington a second Super League Leaders’ Shield!

But the Australian was still able to take some satisfaction from the small part he played in laying the foundations for Huddersfield’s first top-of-the-table finish in 81 years, while acknowledging that coaching successors Jon Sharp, Nathan Brown and Anderson deserve credit.

“It’s incredible to think how far this club has come in such a relatively short space of time,” said Smith.

“And that’s terrific for the Giants and it’s terrific for the game of rugby league.

“What happened to Huddersfield is one of those nice but relatively rare stories in sport, where a team that’s been rock bottom for a number of years suffers a relegation, regroups, comes back stronger and then climbs to the top of the table.

“The Giants have shown that can happen, and I’d like to think I played some small part in that.

“Every coach likes to think when they finally leave a club that it’s in a healthier position than when they arrived. I felt that was the case with me, and it was then the case for Jon Sharp and Nathan Brown.

“And now Paul Anderson is carrying on the good work of those before him.

Giants boss Paul Anderson
Giants boss Paul Anderson

“I obviously wanted Warrington to lift the League Leaders Shield again. But, as I said, it’s good to have played a small part in what has become a genuine success story for rugby league and the rise of Huddersfield as a major rugby league force once again.”

Smith, however, has made it clear that any thoughts of a potential Warrington-Huddersfield Grand Final couldn’t be further from his mind.

“I like the thought of Warrington getting there!” added Smith.

“But it doesn’t bother me too much who we end up playing, as long as we’re in the Grand Final, that’s all I’m thinking about.

“Having said that, there are still some very important games to play before we know who’ll be going to Old Trafford.

“There are still some tough ties ahead for all of us.”