Huddersfield Giants 34 Wakefield Wildcats 10: Wakefield give Giants an early fright before Faiumu steps in

HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS set up an intriguing top-of-the-table encounter with Warrington Wolves after finally breaking down stubborn Wakefield.

On Friday, Nathan Brown’s side host the Engage Super League leaders, who suffered a surprise loss against Catalan yesterday, as they bid to repeat their opening day success in Cardiff.

However, they will need to be far more consistent than in this patchy performance.

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They led just 6-4 at the break following some poor execution and it was not until the final quarter that battling Wakefield finally succumbed, Huddersfield requiring some of David Faiumu’s magic to breathe life into their game.

The nimble New Zealand loose forward beholds some mesmerising footwork and it was this skill which came to the fore to set up position for Michael Lawrence’s crucial first try before creating a Graeme Horne effort which killed off Trinity’s hopes.

Danny Brough gave another scrum-half masterclass against his former club and he seems certain to get the nod for England against the Exiles at Headingley in June while Luke Robinson scored for the third successive game since returning from his shoulder/elbow surgeries.

Although Giants’ fluency eventually returned with a flourish, Horne (2), Lawrence (2) and Shaun Lunt all scoring second-half tries, the first period was an abject affair with Huddersfield’s attacking quality, in particular, mediocre.

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Leroy Cudjoe wasted two opportunities dithering when, if he had simply injected some pace he would have got over.

First, the England international supported Andy Raleigh’s break off Robinson’s perfectly delayed pass but then tried handing onto Lunt who knocked forward.

Later, it was Brough who proved the instigator, putting Cudjoe in space but this time he attempted to feed Horne and was pulled back for a forward pass, Danny Kirmond doing likewsie after the impressive Scott Grix unleashed him.

Huddersfield had opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Robinson – reverting to half-back with captain Kevin Brown rested – dummied to slide past the otherwise excellent Glenn Morrison and Ben Jeffries.

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Wakefield, who handed debuts to Warrington loanee Tyrone McCarthy and Liam Higgins, recently signed from Sheffield Eagles, thought they should have got the first try though when Luke George latched on to Jeffries’s well-placed kick.

However, after consultations with the in-goal judge and touch judge, referee Robert Hicks ruled it out.

It would not be the last time the Oldham official riled the visitors.

They responded in the 12th minute, ex-Giant Greg Johnson palming back Tommy Lee’s crossfield kick for Chris Dean to bundle over.

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Cudjoe, switched to full-back, was alarmingly casual as he sauntered back to gather a kick and was subsequently tackled behind his own line, a sign of the attitude problems which Brown would elude to post-match.

They also allowed Wakefield to take a short drop out and win back possession.

Wakefield pressured but, just as against Leeds a week earlier and despite the endeavour of French hooker Julien Rinaldi, could not find a finish.

Former Huddersfield Academy player Josh Griffin missed a simple penalty attempt from in front of the posts and the improving Frankie Mariano was held up after a powerful run onto Tommy Lee’s pass.

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Hicks caused more confusion when he awarded a penalty to Huddersfield after the half-time hooter, leaving Trinity captain Morrison incredulous as Brough made it 6-4.

The home side then took just 90 seconds after the break to get over, Brough finding a hole for Horne to exploit after Griffin had knocked on in his own 20.

The creator added the kick and Jermaine McGillvary nearly went over soon after following a forceful surge at the end of a well-worked wide move.

Michael Korkidas barrelled forward to give Wakefield a much-needed lift, four Giants required to stop their former team-mate, and from there Morrison followed suit.

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Although he was shut out inches short, Jeffries craftily dummied over from acting half.

Josh Veivers converted to bring the deficit to just two points once more but Huddersfield crucially scored the next try.

Faiumu’s step and offload saw Grix race clear, Veivers desperately getting back to tap tackle the Giants replacement, and then Larne Patrick fumbled after Faiumu set him up with another sublime off-load.

However, they were not denied when, after another Wakefield error, Robinson and Brough combined for Huddersfield’s Lawrence to score out wide in the 57th minute.

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Patrick was fortunate to stay on the field after he appeared to knee Morrison in the face on the hour mark but it was Faiumu who Kear’s side must have wished had departed.

The enthralling Kiwi produced another brilliant step to put Grix into space, Brough offering the link for Horne to score his second.

As Huddersfield began to turn on the style, Jamie Simpson thought he had scored another try only to be denied due to Brough’s forward pass, one of the few mistakes the classy scrum-half made all afternoon.

They did not make the same error though with 11 minutes to go when Lawrence added a powerful finish in the corner.

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Later, Lunt burrowed over from acting-half for Brough to add his fifth kick and complete Huddersfield’s sixth win of the year.

Giants were not hungry enough, admits Brown

HUDDERSFIELD Giants coach Nathan Brown admitted his high-flying side lacked an appetite for yesterday’s game with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

They eventually eased to a 34-10 win and moved up joint-top in the Engage Super League table but led just 6-4 at the break.

Gritty Wakefield, who are now bottom, were excellent in the first period and Brown conceded: “Our hunger wasn’t good enough to start with.

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“Everything was reactionary. We knew they’d come and give a dig and they did that.

“Wakefield gave us a tough game.

“Our intensity was probably not where it needed to be - we’d thrown three or four forward pass which would have resulted in tries and that showed heads were not quite where they needed to be.

“But we definitely came out with more aggression at the start of the second, got a lift after half-time and then got there in the end.”

Graeme Horne scored the first of his two tries just 90 seconds after the re-start and, although Wakefield battled back to trail just 12-10 courtesy of Ben Jeffries’ 50th minute effort, Huddersfield finished powerfully.

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Brown hailed the contribution of 19-year-old centre Joe Wardle, making only his second appearance for the Giants, and suggested he may even play the rookie against leaders Warrington on Friday night.

“He’s doing great,” said the Australian, who will be without prop Keith Mason after he injured knee ligaments.

“We’re not sure who’s going to be in that team but if Joe wasn’t to be playing I think he’d be highly unlucky.

“He’s given himself his best chance.

“Joe and Michael Lawrence played with the required intensity for 80 minutes while other just showed glimpses.”

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Trinity coach John Kear conceded his side’s display was remarkably similar to a week earlier when they led 4-0 against Leeds Rhinos at half-time before losing 28-6.

“The first half was really good - the skill level, commitment to defence - but half-time has done us both weeks,” he said.

“I think we lost the game in the first four minutes of that second half.

“We dropped the ball on tackle two, gave away some penalties, and Huddersfield scored. “