Challenge Cup Final: Huddersfield Giants are prepared for ‘tough day in the middle’

The Giants and today’s opponents Wigan Warriors have had a short turnaround since booking their places in the Challenge Cup final but there was jeopardy in the shape of two Super League fixtures each.

While Huddersfield claimed back-to-back wins and Wigan lost both games, that does not tell the tale of an anxiety-inducing journey from Elland Road to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

As much as they tried to avoid it, Luke Yates has admitted there was an element of self-preservation in the way the Giants went about their business against Toulouse Olympique last week.

“It was a tough game,” said the Huddersfield captain. “We made a bit of a meal of it early on and brought it back.

“It’s always hard to tell yourself not to think about the cup when you are thinking about the cup.

“You can say it all you like but then you know if you get a head knock or get suspended or injured, you’re not playing. It’s so hard.

“Our players probably dipped their toes in last week which is disappointing but we were good enough to manage it and bring it back.”

Wigan, too, have had the look of a team with other things on their minds over the past three weeks.

Matt Peet’s side lost a battle between two understrength sides at the John Smith’s Stadium before coming up short at Hull FC last week.

Yates has not fallen into the trap of believing Wigan have lost their way heading into the final.

“I wasn’t real surprised to see that score come up but obviously that’s not going to be the team that we play against,” said Yates.

“We’re not reading too much into our game with them either. We rested a few and they rested a few.

“We’ll be playing against a team that beat Saints the other week. That’s what we’ve been prepping for.

“They’re a great team full of great individuals with a good mentality as well. We’ve both got a similar mentality of trying to grind teams out so it’s going to be a tough day in the middle.”

Since Huddersfield last won the Challenge Cup in 1953, Wigan have lifted the famous trophy 15 times.

Success has been hard to come by for the Giants but it could be a seminal moment for the club and wider community with Huddersfield Town also in the capital in search of a Premier League place.

“We want to start the weekend off on a good win for them and then hopefully they can pull it through on Sunday,” said Yates.

“That obviously helps with our fans coming down. If you’re going to go to one game, you might as well go to the other and make a good weekend of it.

“It’s a great opportunity for the town to put ourselves on the map.

“For me personally, it’s a great opportunity to lead a great club out. We haven’t won one in 69 years so it’s time to make some history.

“If I can be part of that, it’d be great.”

Yates is hoping for a better experience than 2020 when he suffered the agony of a one-point defeat with former side Salford Red Devils.

He feels in a better place ahead of his second Challenge Cup final appearance.

“I think I’ve grown a lot as a player and a person since then,” said Yates.

“I came off the bench that day for Salford and now I’m leading this club.

“You take what you can [experience-wise] but I don’t want it to be anything like what it was in 2020 because we lost. We’re a different group and a different team.

“If I can take whatever worked out of that and put my spin on it to get the lads focused and motivated, I think we’ll be in for a win.”

Thousands of miles away from home, the Australian could be forgiven for thinking the stars have aligned.

“Weirdly I already have my mum here,” said Yates.

“We booked it back in January or February and didn’t think anything of it.

“Her birthday is at the start of June so we booked it so she could come watch us against Catalans the following week.

“It turned out we made the final so it’s a great opportunity.”

For the rest of his family back home, caffeine will be required to get through the game.

Yates is hoping to make it worth their while.

“My dad gets up real early so the midnight kick-off is going to be a bit of a struggle for him,” said the 26-year-old.

“He’ll be on the yawns but I know he’ll be up to watch it.

“It’s a massive occasion. I haven’t won anything in my senior career so writing a bit of history for my family and myself would be a massive achievement.”