Huddersfield Giants v Wigan Warriors: Disciplined approach is key for Lee Gaskell

The silky stand-off will strive to help them secure their first win in three games when they host champions Wigan Warriors this evening when the West Yorkshire club are also urging fans to don yellow in support of Cystic Fibrosis UK.

Huddersfield, whose players will wear yellow armbands, remained just four points off the top-five going into this round – yet also only two points clear of three teams sharing bottom place.

Admittedly, Giants were unfortunate to lose at Castleford Tigers in Golden Point extra-time a fortnight ago despite Gaskell’s hat-trick but they were then dismal in Friday’s 38-2 defeat at St Helens.

Yet it was only three weeks ago they vanquished Hull FC 55-2 at Magic Weekend; they never know if they are fighting relegation or challenging for honours and urgently need some positive consistency.

Gaskell told The Yorkshire Post: “It is quite weird. If you win two you’re in the top five but one defeat and you’re down the other end. You don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“It was disappointing last week. There’s no excuses from us. We have to be better and there’s no reason for that display. It’s going to be a good test again this time. You always know Wigan will be tough to beat and you have to be on your game.”

Huddersfield were just that when they won 14-6 at Wigan in March and Gaskell recalled: “We just had a good mindset. We knew it’d be a tough game for 80 minutes and we talked about building pressure, not overdoing things and we stuck to that plan. We need that discipline again.”

Wigan have won their last two games at lowly Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos to ease their own safety fears this week.

England stand-off George Williams has come in for criticism this season but earned praise from Test coach Wayne Bennett who described him as “good as anybody that plays the game when at his best”.

Gaskell, 28, said: “I like to compete against the best and George Williams is a good player. I enjoy these sorts of battles, pitting myself against my opposite number.”

“He never really lost his form in my eyes; you always get criticised as a half-back in a struggling team.

“But he’s done some good things this year and, hopefully, we’ll keep him quiet.”