19 Feb 2022

Giants win in 2022 Home Opener

Huddersfield Giants (16) 26

Tries: Jones, McQueen (2), Yates, McGillvary

Goals: Russell (3)

Drop-Goals: 

Sin-Bin: Hill (75')

Hull KR (0) 12

Tries: Takairangi, Lewis

Goals: Abdull (2)

Drop-Goals:

Huddersfield Giants: Lolohea, McGillvary, Cudjoe, Leutele, I. Senior; Russell, Fages; Hill, Levi, Trout; McQueen, Jones, Yates

Interchange: English, O'Brien, Greenwood, Ikahihifo

Hull KR: Dagger, Wood, Kenny-Dowall, Takairangi, Hall; Lewis, Abdull; King, Litten, Sims; Hadley, Linnet, Storton  

Interchange: Parcell, Keinhorst, Richards, Halton

By Bailey Russell

A snowy Saturday afternoon brought competitive rugby league back to its birthplace today as Huddersfield Giants welcomed Hull KR to the John Smith's Stadium, culminating in what ended up being a nervy 26-12 win, off the back of what can only be described as the complete performance for 60 or so minutes.

It was the Giants who had the first real attack of the game with Innes Senior unable to take a pass in which would’ve gave him a clear run at the line on the outside of former Giant Sam Wood, with him unable to take the ball in from his centre Leutele however he was eventually bundled into touch.

It would be Huddersfield who would get the first score however, With Ryan Hall unable to take a Lolohea bomb with the ball falling right into the open arms of Chris McQueen meaning the Giants led 4-0 after a quarter of the Round 2 clash.

Another real chance didn’t fall either side's way until a neat cut out ball from Tui Lolohea found Innes Senior on the wing, with his resulting chip and chase forcing a goal line drop out from the visitors.

A set restart followed before captain fantastic Luke Yates hit a sweet lead line off of a Levi scoot from acting half to dive under the posts. A first half devoid of any real chances was starting to go The Giants’ way. Russell added the extras for a 10-0 scoreline with 34 minutes gone on the clock. 

Innes Senior continued to show his halfback credentials with another deft grubber off the toe, forcing Sam Wood to concede another drop out. Once again The Giants would make Hull KR pay on their right edge, with Josh Jones dummying his way over for another Giants score! Russell adding the 2 to make it 16-0 to the home side.

The Giants headed into the sheds with a 16-0 lead and a real stranglehold on the game. Not affording the visitors any real chances on their line.

It was more of the same for the boys as the second half came about. A last tackle short side play saw the ball, through the hands of Levi to Fages to Lolohea, with the latter deftly dropping ball on his for Jermaine McGillvary to score in the corner. 

A purple patch followed for the visitors after this. Mikey Lewis first and then some strong post kick defence forcing back to back goal line drop outs for The Robins. This was as good as it had been all game for the travelling side, with The Giants in complete control of the ball game. A poor kick from the home side at the back end of their exit set kept the pressure on The Giants line. 

The resolute Giants would finally crack on the hour mark. 3 back-to-back sets culminating in Man of Steel nominee Jordan Abdull dinking it into the In-Goal for Brad Takairangi to score. With Abdull converting from out-wide, the score now read 20-6.

The visitors had found the proverbial spring in their step. Mikey Lewis kicking from his own ten into the arms of Sam Wood to race to the fifty, nearly scoring were it not for an intervention from Jermaine Mcgilvary. Goal Line drop out.

What can only be described as superb defence was the catalyst in keeping the resurgent Robins out however. Ryan Hall, clear run to the line was bundled out of play by a trifecta of Giants defenders, including that man Gerry again. Giants surviving a scare.

The Giants again would find themselves encamped on their own line. More of that resolute, backs to the wall goal line defence would be the recipe for keeping Korbin Sims close to the line.

This period of Robins’ pressure didn’t seem to be coming to an end any time soon. 3 penalties in a row, the first conceded from a late shot by veteran prop Chris Hill meant The Cowbell Army had more hard work to do. Almost paying the price, had Matt Parcell been a second earlier.

The Giants had survived once again. They would have found themselves finishing the resulting set in The Robins 10, if not for an untimely error from the reliable Danny Levi, with Mikey Lewis doing his best Josh Koroma impression to toe-prod the ball to score. Out of nothing, on the back of no pressure and compounded by the sin-binning of Chris Hill, it was 20-12 with only 5 left.

This was turning out to be a nervy finish for the boys, another penalty conceded by the 12 man Giants saw The Robins in good field position. Forcing another Goal Line drop out. The Claret and Golds would once again show their grit though, surviving the onslaught from The Robins. 

The resilient Giants would have the final say in what was, apart from a 20 minute spell, always their day. Forcing Ryan Hall into the in goal area to win a goal line drop out, Chris McQueen managed to burrow his way over for his brace on the way to a 26-12 win for the Giants, who face Wigan Warriors next Thursday for a chance to go three unbeaten in the Betfred Super League. 

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