Huddersfield Giants 24 Leigh Leopards 28: Shortcomings laid bare despite late rally
In days gone by, Huddersfield Giants' dismal record would have left them in the thick of a relegation scrap.
The struggling Giants have won just one game in the first half of the Super League season, leaving them on course for one of their lowest points tallies in the competition's history.
After a 12th defeat of the year against Leigh Leopards, Huddersfield can be thankful automatic relegation is a thing of the past.
That they sit level with a Salford Red Devils outfit lurching from one crisis to the next says everything about the Giants' shortcomings.
Luke Robinson's side rallied to give Leigh a scare but it was another performance that posed more questions than answers.
Huddersfield conceded several soft tries and did not unduly trouble the Leopards until the game was gone.
In the end, the hosts ran out of time after scoring three tries in the space of 11 minutes late on.
Robinson drew a line in the sand following last week's home drubbing by St Helens but there was little to encourage the Giants boss in the first hour.
If anything sums up Huddersfield's plight, it was the sight of Isaac Liu going over untouched from a simple ruck play for the opening try.
Ben McNamara's kick earned Leigh a repeat set and that was all it took for the Giants to crack.
It got worse before it got better with Huddersfield opened up all too easily once again.
Keanan Brand broke from deep after benefiting from a misread by Adam Swift and McNamara was in support to add the finishing touches.
McNamara's second goal left the Giants staring down the barrel of another heavy defeat before George Flanagan gave the hosts a lifeline.
Tui Lolohea and Adam Clune – paired in the halves for the first time in 2025 – created half an opening for the full-back and he did not need a second invitation, dazzling David Armstrong with fancy footwork after dummying his way through Leigh's left edge.
Aside from the defensive lapses, the Giants gave as good as they got in the opening 40 minutes and had hope at 12-6.
However, it took only four minutes for the Leopards to take the wind out of Huddersfield's sails at the start of the second half.
The Giants appeared to be well set on their own line, only for Armstrong to stroll over without a hand being laid on him in a repeat of Liu's try.
Lachlan Lam appeared to put the game beyond doubt when he stayed alive to score the play after a long-busting break before turning provider to send Frankie Halton over.
Swift's flying finish and Sam Halsall's 80-metre intercept try added a degree of respectability to the scoreline and the Giants were sensing a miraculous comeback when Leroy Cudjoe pounced on an error to score.
However, Leigh survived the final three minutes with a slice of fortune to compound Huddersfield's woes.
Huddersfield Giants: Flanagan, Swift, Bibby, Milne, Halsall, Lolohea, Clune, King, Woolford, Powell, Rushton, Greenwood, Cudjoe. Substitutes: Golding, Burgess, Wilson, Rush.
Tries: Flanagan (35), Swift (66), Halsall (75), Cudjoe (77)
Goals: Flanagan 4/4
Leigh Leopards: Armstrong, McIntosh, Niu, Hanley, Brand, McNamara, Lam, Mulhern, Ipape, Ofahengaue, Halton, Trout, Liu. Substitutes: Davis, Hughes, Tuitavake, Hodgson.
Tries: Liu (17), McNamara (26), Armstrong (44), Lam (52), Halton (58)
Goals: McNamara 4/5
Referee: Jack Smith