Huddersfield Giants 4 Hull KR 50: Robins match historic record to send derby message
As Hull KR put the cleaners through the beleaguered Huddersfield Giants to maintain their perfect record, minds began to drift to next week's blockbuster derby.
The first Challenge Cup tie between Rovers and Hull FC in 39 years could hardly have come at a better time.
KR and Hull are the early pacesetters in Super League in a throwback to the last time they met in the cup.
The rivalry peaked during the 1980s but the quarter-final could signal the dawn of a new, exciting chapter for the Hull derby.
On the evidence of Sunday's demolition of Huddersfield, the Robins will take some stopping.
Willie Peters' side ran in nine tries against the depleted Giants, scoring 34 unanswered points after the interval to increase Huddersfield's second-half woes.
A sixth straight league win matches the record set by Roger Millward's great 1984-85 side at the start of their title-winning season.
If their early form is anything to go by, Rovers may well end 40 years of pain in 2025.
KR could have been forgiven for having one eye on Hull but there was no hint of complacency in a highly professional performance.
If it was not clear already, Peters' team are the real deal.
Tougher challenges lie ahead for the Robins – starting at the MKM Stadium next week – but a first trophy since 1985 is well within sight.
Huddersfield, who remain without key spine members amid an early injury crisis, simply had no answer to their visitors.
The only downsides for Rovers were the concession of George Flanagan's try and a hamstring strain sustained by James Batchelor.
Mikey Lewis was at his brilliant best in the West Yorkshire sunshine, scoring a hat-trick to continue the form that earned him the Man of Steel in 2024.
To say that Sunday's game went to form would be an understatement with Huddersfield helpless to prevent Rovers from racking up a half-century.
The Giants remain winless and face a fortnight of soul-searching before their next Super League fixture.
A promising start was a distant memory by the time referee Aaron Moore put them out of their misery.
The early momentum shifted after Harry Rushton dropped the ball near halfway on the last tackle and Huddersfield failed to defend the error.
Lewis brushed off several would-be tacklers before getting away a classy offload to give Oliver Gildart his seventh try in five games.
The Giants faced an uphill battle against the best defence in the competition but they played with a freedom that belied their wretched form, initially at least.
After going three hours and eight minutes without conceding a try, Rovers were opened up by talented half-back Flanagan.
There appeared to be nothing on when Flanagan received the ball just inside his own half but he dazzled KR's left edge to score a scintillating solo effort.
The youngster outfoxed Lewis with a spellbinding dummy before demonstrating his silky footwork to leave Arthur Mourgue grasping at thin air.
Flanagan shanked his conversion but Huddersfield had put the Robins on notice.
Unfortunately for the Giants, they were struggling to contain their visitors going the other way.
Lewis quickly atoned for his defensive misread, the half-back redressing the balance by seeing off Flanagan's challenge to reach out and score.
KR suffered a setback when they lost Batchelor and were relieved to see Tui Lolohea drop the ball with open field in front of him after good work by Flanagan.
Flanagan was Huddersfield's danger man but it was his loose kick that allowed Rovers to take a firm grip on the contest as half-time approached.
Lewis caught it on the full and the Giants could not recover from his burst down the left.
The Robins swept the ball out to the right where Peta Hiku offloaded to give Mourgue a debut try.
Mourgue missed his first conversion of the afternoon but Rovers had Huddersfield where they wanted them.
The Giants defended errors either side of the interval before Lewis produced another magic moment to put the game to bed.
Flanagan had no answer to Lewis' strong fend and even a slip could not save Huddersfield, the KR half-back bouncing back up to put Jai Whitbread over.
Lewis continued to torment the Giants and quickly registered his third assist.
An error by Taane Milne invited Rovers back in and the centre was punished when Lewis stepped off his left foot and offloaded to gift Jez Litten a try.
Jesse Sue cruised over next to the posts to score his first of the season before Lewis backed up a break by Mourgue to make it a double.
Lewis repeated the trick to complete his hat-trick following a break down the left by Gildart and Peters' men were not done there, Tom Davies finishing another flowing move to round off a dominant performance by the ever-improving Robins.
Huddersfield Giants: Gagai, Halsall, Jake Bibby, Milne, Swift, Lolohea, Flanagan, Rogers, Golding, English, Hewitt, Rushton, Cudjoe. Substitutes: Deakin, Burgess, Jack Bibby, Billington.
Tries: Flanagan (14)
Goals: Flanagan 0/1
Hull KR: Mourgue, Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Broadbent, Lewis, May, Sue, McIlorum, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella. Substitutes: Litten, Luckley, Whitbread, Tanginoa.
Tries: Gildart (6), Lewis (19, 66, 76), Mourgue (30), Whitbread (51), Litten (56), Sue (64), Davies (78)
Goals: Mourgue 7/9
Referee: Aaron Moore.