Gentle lauds Hull’s resolve after Huddersfield are swatted aside

The Australian watched on thoroughly impressed as the Airlie Birds ended Huddersfield Giants’ season with a comprehensive 
46-10 elimination play-off victory at KC Stadium last night.

It means unfancied Hull, who finished the campaign in sixth spot, face a preliminary semi-final at Warrington Wolves on Saturday night to get to within just 80 minutes of Old Trafford.

“We gave ourselves a good chance through our defence,” he said, after keeping Huddersfield at bay for fully 67 minutes.

“It was terrific. Our forward pack aimed up to a lot bigger pack and really took it to them.

“When you looked at the Saints and Wigan games this weekend, those two sides got through with very aggressive defence.

“As a team we spoke all week about how the best defence would win this comp’.

“I was disappointed we dropped our guard at the end with a couple of soft tries so there’s areas to work on, but we’re going well.”

Asked if he felt confident his side could go past Challenge Cup winners Warrington, who suffered a surprisingly hefty 28-6 home defeat to Saints, he replied: “Definitely. We’re not here to make the numbers up. Every semi-finals (play-offs) has dark horses and maybe it will be us.

“We’re one of six teams now when before there was eight. There was four games now there’s three.

“I’m not any more confident now than I was last week. I know what these players are capable of. When they play one to 17 as a team, we win and get the results we deserve.”

Huddersfield coach Paul Anderson, meanwhile, offered no excuses for his squad’s awful display, citing their poor mentality.

“Giving in is not acceptable as an eight-year-old or 28-year-old,” he said.

“Some of our players did that. The mentality was unacceptable.

“The best, most physical and aggressive team won.

“We have to go away and have a period of contemplation and 
reflection.”

Huddersfield were Super League leaders in April before a spectacular collapse saw them freefall.

Coach Nathan Brown got the sack in July and assistant Anderson took over, but he cannot explain the reasoning why largely the same players could so badly under-perform.

“Our thought processes changed but I don’t know what it is, really,” he said.

“Some people find excuses and we have got to get rid of that.

“We have to find a way of making us a top-four side.

“Recruitment will kick into full drive now and, from head coach all the way down, we’ll have to have a good look at things.”

Leeds Rhinos had needed to dig deep to defeat Super League’s form team Wakefield Trinity Wildcats on Saturday night, ending their opponents’ seven-game winning run – and season – with a 42-20 victory. The champions face an away trip to Catalan on Friday night as they look to book their own place in the last four.

Coach Brian McDermott admits he was surprised by the French club’s poor performance in their 46-6 defeat at Wigan in Friday’s opening qualifying play-off game but expects a fiery backlash.

“I’m not reading anything into it at all,” he said. “It’s probably something that we didn’t want but Wigan can do that to you. They can blow you away, as we all know.

“We haven’t nailed a win in Perpignan for the last two years. I know the scoreline may have looked a bit better this year 
(38-34 last month) but during the game our performance wasn’t good enough and it wasn’t good enough last time.

“We want to go there and do a job. We’ve got a little niggle with the Catalans over there at the moment.”

Leeds remain hopeful they can repeat last year’s historic feat of winning the Grand Final from fifth but, unsurprisingly, first-placed Wigan are now odds-on favourites to succeed on October 6.

Wakefield coach Richard Agar bemoaned a couple of wasted chances against the Rhinos at pivotal moments, ruing their execution but wholly accepting the side “with the most class” won.

He remained proud of his squad’s efforts given they were deemed as contenders for the wooden spoon with Widnes by so many at the start of the season.

“I’ve some troops in there who have come to Headingley to play the champions in a play-off game and are genuinely disappointed that they’ve not won,” said Agar, after watching them three times let a lead slip. “That to me is progress. It’s an indication of how far we’ve come in the last 12 months.”