Giants open 2022 with commanding win

Huddersfield Giants 42-12 Dewsbury Rams

Huddersfield Giants: (6)

Tries: Greenwood, Russell, Ashworth (3), McGillvary (2), Leutele

Goals: Russell (5)

Drop-Goals:

Dewsbury Rams: (6)

Tries: Gabriel (2)

Goals: Sweeting (2)

Drop-Goals:

Huddersfield Giants: Pryce; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Leutele, Senior; Lolohea, Russell; Hill, Levi, Wilson; Greenwood, McQueen, Yates

Interchanges: English, Golding, Cogger, Trout, Ikahihifo, Lawrence, Ashworth, Roby, Mason, Rogers, Rush, Stevens, O'Brien 

Dewsbury Rams: Dixon, Gabriel, Graham, Greensmith, Carr; Smith, Sweeing; Hall, Butterworth, Beckett; Ryder, Knowles, Schofield

Interchanges: Speakman, Walton, Copley, Sykes, Walker, Annakin, Peltier

Huddersfield Giants started their 2022 pre-season trials with a commanding win at the Tetley's Stadium, beating Dewsbury Rams 42-12 courtesy of a Jack Ashworth hat-trick. 

The Tetley's Stadium was consumed by fog in the lead-up to kick-off, making visibility difficult and making the tactical decisions easy for the two sides: lots of punts into the opaque blanket of cloud hovering just above the Stadium. 

Five new signings lined up for the Giants ahead of their first run out, with Chris Hill, Danny Levi and Tui Lolohea in the starting line-up and Nathan Mason and Sebastine Ikhahifo both making their second debut for the club. The two sides honoured Michael Knowles before kick-off with a guard off honour for the player, with the game functioning as his testimonial game. 

The Giants started strongly, putting pressure on the Dewsbury line after the hosts failed to return the ball from the kick-off. Jermaine McGillvary took a bullet pass from Tui Lolohea but was unable to barge his way over the line, and the first set produced a goal line drop out, but Huddersfield couldn't capitalise. 

Struggles under the high ball were a feature of the opening stages, with Dewsbury full-back Davey Dixon juggling a kick from Tui Lolohea under pressure from a number of the Giants welcoming party, he managed to collect but both sides had a challenging opening quarter with the high-ball disappearing under the thick cloud of fog. 

After an even opening 30 minutes and an extended period of pressure, Joe Greenwood crossed over from short-range to open the scoring for the Giants. Russell added the extras to get Huddersfield on the board. 

Dewsbury stabilised after conceding and kept in the game towards the end of the first half and created a spell of pressure following a 40-20 by Alex Smith and Andy Gabriel took full advantage with 13 seconds on the lock, touching down in the corner. Sweeting added the extras from the touchline to level as the sides went into the sheds for half-time. 

The Giants made a raft of changes at the break, with Lolohea moving to full-back, Ashton Golding coming onto the wing and Jack Cogger partnering Olly Russell at 6 & 7, and Sebastine Ikahihifo making his second debut for the Giants. It didn't take long for the changes to take effect and Huddersfield got on the board early in the second half to re-establish the lead, with Russell collecting a spilled Tui Lolohea kick under the posts before converting his own try. 

The lead wouldn't last long, however, as Huddersfield tried to play with more intensity and a more expansive style as the second-half went on, and Andy Gabriel leapt on a Giants move to the wing to intercept and run 40 metres to score in the corner, despite a spirited chase from full-back Tui Lolohea. Jake Sweeting would convert once again from the touchline and the two sides were level once again. 

With 55 minutes on the clock, however, Huddersfield reasserted their dominance as Jack Ashworth found a break on the edge and stretched over to score. Russell once again converted. 

The Giants were over again 6 minutes later courtesy of Jermaine McGillvary, who came out best from a crowded scrimmage on the line to score in the corner. Russell was unable to convert the try however, with the attempt from the touchline being judged by the in-goal judges as short, and Huddersfield established a ten point lead with 17 left on the clock. McGillvary crossed over again four minutes later, set up by well seen pass from dummy-half from Leroy Cudjoe, finding McGillvary unmarked on the wing for an easy score. Russell converted from 10 metres in from the touchline to give the Giants a sixteen point lead. 

With the home side tiring going into the last ten minutes, Ricky Leutele finished off a well worked move through the hands in the corner to stroll in. Russell's conversion from the touchline fell wide of the post however and the Giants went into the final ten minutes with a twenty point lead. Two minutes later, the Giants would be in again as Jack Ashworth chalked up his second of the day after a kick was spilled again in the in-goal. Olly Russell slotted the conversion over for his fifth of the day before finishing up for the afternoon. 

Just before the hooter, Jack Ashworth completed his hat-trick on the afternoon with a bulldozing run over the Dewsbury defence, Pryce pulled the conversion wide for a well deserved win for the Giants on their first hit-out of the year.