Huddersfield Giants 40 Castleford Tigers 18: England setback as injured Brough pulls out

The England international was due to play against the Exiles on Friday but is now ruled out of the Headingley contest after limping off in the Giants’ victory over Castleford.

Giants coach Nathan Brown said: “Danny’s gone for some x-rays and it looks like he’ll be out for a while. He’s been in terrific form and it’s unfortunate because he’d earned the right to play for England with his consistency.

“We had to play with some players in unfamiliar positions due to injuries and a sin-binning. I was happy with the way we toughed it out.”

Stand-off Leroy Cudjoe scored twice and made another as Huddersfield won the first of three matches at their temporary home despite a late kick-off.

The Giants made themselves feel at home at Halifax’s State Stadium, where they are playing while their own ground is being resurfaced, with further tries from Eorl Crabtree, David Hodgson, Lee Gilmour, Jermaine McGillvary and David Fa’alogo.

Richard Owen scored twice and Danny Orr also went over in response for Cas.

The match, originally due to start at 5:45pm, was delayed by 25 minutes due to Sky TV technical problems and a kit mix-up, eventually sorted when the Tigers were given Halifax’s kit to play in, preventing a clash which would have seen both teams playing in white.

When the game finally got under way at 6:10pm, it exploded into life.

Cudjoe had the Giants ahead inside four minutes with a converted try from Scott Grix’s final pass.

Owen quickly replied for Castleford by polishing off a flowing move involving Rangy Chase and Orr to register his sixth try of the season.

Huddersfield’s Halifax-born former Castleford star Luke Robinson, making his 100th Giants appearance, then set up two converted tries to leave them 18-6 ahead at the break.

He first set up Crabtree on 25 minutes, and then sold a brilliant dummy to romp clear seven minutes later before putting in Cudjoe for his second of the match. Brough converted all three Giants tries.

Huddersfield turned the screw in the second half. Hodgson bagged his sixth try in five games from Cudjoe’s pass just after the restart.

Robinson set up Lee Gilmour for a converted try after 51 minutes. The chance was created by Brough’s expert 40-20 kick, although the Giants star later limped off injured.

The Giants were reduced to 12 men after 55 minutes when McGillvary was sin-binned for kicking the ball away.

Orr and Owen replied late on for Castleford. But Huddersfield had the last word with late tries from McGillvary and Fa’alogo. Cudjoe twice converted in Brough’s absence.

Afterwards, Castleford coach Terry Matterson revealed Jonathan Walker will probably miss the rest of the season after dislocating his knee in an innocuous-looking challenge.

Walker was carried off midway through the second half following a tackle by Crabtree.

Frustrated Tigers chief Matterson said: “It doesn’t look too good for Jonny. It was only his second game back after 13 weeks out and now it looks like his season’s over.”

Castleford have endured an injury-hit season but their fortunes had taken a turn for the better until Walker’s injury.

Matterson added: “I was starting to get pretty excited about having some numbers back so this injury is another blow.”

Castleford were outmuscled by Huddersfield in an action-packed thriller.

“It didn’t help that we had the wrong jerseys on,” Matterson said.

“I don’t know whose fault it was. Whatever happened, the game was delayed and Huddersfield handled it better.

“I also thought some key decisions went against us. Jordan Thompson was given as out when he was actually in when the score was 6-6 and that was a crucial play for us.

“I also think we were a bit too soft. You can’t afford to be like that against a side like Huddersfield.”

Giants coach Brown, celebrating a 12-month contract extension, said: “The Shay is a nice little ground. It’s going to be our home for the next few weeks and we’re aiming to make the best of it.”

He added of the potential for success this season: “We’re not playing as prettily or as fluently as Warrington, but we’re in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup and second in Super League and that gives us a good platform to work from.”

Huddersfield: Grix, McGillvary, Wardle, Lawrence, Hodgson, Cudjoe, Brough, Crabtree, Robinson, Griffin, Gilmour, Horne, Fa’alogo. Substitutes: Mason, Raleigh, Kirmond, Faiumu.

Castleford: Mathers, Dixon, Thompson, Arundel, Owen, Chase, Orr, Jackson, Milner, Emmitt, Jones, Ferres, Aspinwall. Substitutes: Walker, Fozzard, Widders, Clark.

Referee: B Thaler (Wakefield).