Huddersfield 44 Warrington 4: Turner celebrates Giants debut with try

Turner left St Helens at the end of last season to move to NRL side the Canberra Raiders on a two-year contract but the 28-year-old stand-off cut his stay short in Australia to join Rick Stone’s team last week and he made an instant impact.

His score was one of eight tries Huddersfield ran in as they brushed aside a weary Wolves side – who looked to be feeling the effects of their third match in nine days -–to leapfrog their opponents into ninth place in the Betfred Super League table.

Refreshed from a nine-day rest, the Giants got on the scoreboard after just five minutes when they took advantage of a penalty on Warrington’s 20-metre line despite deciding not to kick from in front of the posts.

A powerful drive from prop Sebastine Ikahihifo put the hosts within three metres of the try line before Oliver Roberts somehow touched down under pressure from four Warrington defenders.

Roberts was just metres away from scoring his second try of the match before Warrington had their first meaningful attack in the 24th minute when former Giants half-back Kevin Brown was denied just inches from the line, which Huddersfield took advantage of in their next set.

Giants captain Danny Brough was held up over the line but they could not stop hooker Kruise Leeming, who played a short-side pass to Jermaine McGillvary to dot down in the corner.

They extended their lead when an offload from Cudjoe sent Ryan Hinchcliffe through and, although he was thwarted by Kevin Penny, a swift play sent Aaron Murphy over in the corner to put Huddersfield 14-0 up at the break.

It did not take long for Huddersfield to move further ahead. Another short pass from Leeming found Paul Clough in support and barged his way over.

Huddersfield further strengthened their grip on proceedings in the 49th minute when debutant Turner walked his way over the line after getting on the end of a neat offload from second row Dale Ferguson to score the Giants’ fifth try.

Australian full-back Jake Mamo saw his ‘try’ ruled out by referee Chris Kendall, which Warrington capitalised on to send Tom Lineham in the corner.

Mamo got his deserved try when Cudjoe sent McGillvary free on the right before the winger found the supporting full-back to cross for Huddersfield’s sixth of the match, with Brough – who successfully converted six of his kicks in the match – adding the extras to make it 32-4.

Warrington’s misery did not end there, though, with Huddersfield adding two more tries before the finish via McGillvary and Murphy.

Huddersfield: Mamo, McGillvary, Cudjoe, Turner, Murphy, Brough, Gaskell, Ikahihifo, Leeming, Rapira, Roberts, Ferguson, Hinchcliffe. Substitutes: Wakeman, Clough, O’Brien, Mason.

Warrington: Penny, Russell, Ratchford, Atkins, Lineham, Brown, Patton, Hill, Dwyer, Cooper, Jullien, Hughes, Westerman. Substitutes: Sims, Savelio, Philbin, Smith.

Referee: C Kendall (RFL).