Giants now ready to prove they are Super League's emerging force as Wolves stand in the way

RELAXED coach Nathan Brown believes Huddersfield Giants are ready to prove they have matured into a side capable of going all the way to Old Trafford.

If successful at Warrington Wolves this evening, they will be within 80 minutes of a first Super League Grand Final.

Such a feat would mark a distinct transformation for a club which has for so long lived in the shadows of Leeds Rhinos and Bradford Bulls.

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However, having overseen a resurgence since arriving from Australia two years ago, Brown feels their progress is ready to reap dividends.

"This club is growing and developing all the time," said last term's Super League coach of the year.

"The better we go and deeper we go into these play-offs will just confirm what everyone else is saying – Huddersfield are a much bigger force than they have been for years.

"We had our slump earlier in the season but now we're playing consistently well and have won six on the trot. We know we have a side to trouble Warrington."

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Their opponents, who finished joint-second but were comprehensively beaten in their opening play-off at St Helens last week, have won the last four meetings between the sides.

That included last season's disappointing Challenge Cup final and an embarrassing 60-4 rout in the fifth round on the way to retaining their trophy.

Brown conceded: "The one big one was the Challenge Cup. They really put a score on us and Warrington were running red-hot. We were probably at the bottom of our slump then but we're a different team now.

"We feel we're going to make a much better and tougher opposition and those results do not matter."

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Indeed, Huddersfield, who have failed to win the league since 1962, have not lost since a last-gasp 21-20 defeat at Leeds on July 16 and are Super League's form team despite finishing fifth. They have few major injury concerns and are bolstered by the return of aggressive prop Keith Mason after a three-match ban following an incident in their impressive win at minor premiers Wigan.

Brown accepts he could be key as they bid to neutralise Warrington's formidable forward contingent, including England stars Adrian Morely, Garreth Carvell and Ben Westwood.

"Keith gives us good balance in our pack," he said. "We've got good hard-working players with Danny Kirmond back from Wakefield, while David Fa'alogo and Eorl Crabtree offer something different, and Stephen Wild gives us further balance.

"Warrington have got a terrific pack but, for us, I think Fa'alogo and Darrell Griffin are in their career-best form and we have Keith returning and eager to perform, too.

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"We've definitely got a side there to cause them trouble and we just need to make sure we get off on the front foot."

Brown is up against Wolves chief Tony Smith, someone who is intent on delivering his own club's first Super League title but a man he knows well.

The pair were team-mates at Sydney club St George when they lost the 1993 Grand Final to Brisbane Broncos and remain firm friends.

"That was what Tony was as a player – a 'team' man," recalled Brown, whose side progressed with their first play-off victory over Crusaders a week ago.

"Now he's got his team playing some decent footy and he's a good bloke and coach but we know them well now."