The ambitious Giants, who are averaging crowds of just short of 8,000 this year, expect to break the 10,000 barrier after slashing prices to as little as £80 for next season.

Average 10,000 crowds are seen as one of the benchmarks for Super League as Huddersfield look to improve on their category C status awarded under the recent licensing system.

The radical move follows a similar decision by joint tenants of the Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield Town, who sold more than 16,000 season tickets after cutting prices to £100 to mark their centenary.

"It is a gamble to a degree but so was Huddersfield Town's," said Giants chairman Ken Davy, who is shortly to step down as chairman of the football club. "In the new era of Super League, it is time for the Giants to make a huge statement of intent and I believe this one-off special offer is exactly that.

"This is a vital time for the Giants and the success of this offer is critical to our future development."

New Giants coach Nathan Brown, who will arrive in October after completing his commitments with Sydney club St George Illawarra, is thrilled by the announcement.

"The offer is almost unbelievable and for me in my first year it will give the team an enormous boost ahead of the big kick-off," he said.

A crowd of 12,127 responded to the club's offer of free admission for Saturday night's home game against Catalans Dragons and that is three times bigger than the turn-out for the visit of the French club earlier this season.

The locals looked certain to be cheering a winning team as Huddersfield led for most of the game only to concede a penalty 10 minutes from the end.

While the result ended the Giants' lingering play-off hopes, it clinched a home tie for the Catalans, who can finish no lower than fourth.

The Dragons, who had taken just a point from their previous three matches, trailed for most of the match and did not take the lead until Thomas Bosc landed that penalty.

Stand-off Adam Mogg was the Dragons' hero with two tries, the second of which finally ended the Giants' resistance.

Huddersfield had taken the lead after six minutes. Right winger Martin Aspinwall timed his run to perfection to touch down a grubber kick from centre Kevin Brown, and the Giants thought they had scored again but replays showed a knock-on by centre Paul Whatuira.

Catalans drew level on 19 minutes when Murphy took Mogg's long pass to squeeze over.

Hodgson then swooped on full-back Clint Greenshields' intended pass for Murphy and showed a clean pair of heels on a 90-metre sprint to the line.

Chris Thorman missed his second conversion but slotted a penalty to make it 10-4, only for the visitors to draw level a minute later when hooker Aaron Gorrell went in for his side's second try.

Bosc kicked his first goal to tie the scores. But Thorman edged his side ahead with a second penalty three minutes before the break – and then added a third on 52 minutes to make it 14-10.

The match became a midfield war of attrition in the increasingly difficult conditions.

But Catalans demonstrated their ability to score from long range when Greenshields broke out of defence and sent the supporting Mogg over for his side's third try.

Bosc's conversion attempt rebounded off a post, leaving the scores locked a 14-14.

Huddersfield regained the lead when Thorman's wayward pass wrongfooted the visitors defence, and substitute Danny Kirmond jinked his way over for a try.

However, the scores were level for a fourth time on 65 minutes when Mogg jinked over for his second try – to which Bosc added the conversion.

Robinson's drop-goal attempt was wide, before Bosc put the Dragons in front for the first time with a penalty after Stuart Jones had been pulled up for a foul tackle on John Wilson.

Huddersfield: Cudjoe, Aspinwall, Brown, Whaturia, Hodgson, Thorman, Robinson, Crabtree, Hudson, Griffin, Raleigh, Jones, Wild. Substitutes: Lolesi, Jackson, Kirmond, Faiumu.

Catalans Dragons: Greenshields, Murphy, Wilson, Raguin, Pelo, Mogg, Bosc, Elima, Gorrell, Guisset, Fakir, Mounis, Carlaw. Substitutes: Ferriol, Duport, Chan, Touxagas.

Referee: A Klein.