Huddersfield Giants star Tui Lolohea ready to tick major item off rugby league bucket list

After twice falling short during his time with Salford Red Devils, Tui Lolohea is desperate to tick off a major item on his rugby league bucket list this weekend.

It has been a rollercoaster of a journey for Lolohea since touching down on these shores in late 2018.

The Tonga international would have envisioned competing for silverware with Leeds Rhinos but his spell at Headingley lasted only 17 games.

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Lolohea’s loan move to Salford was viewed as a step backwards at the time despite promising signs from the Red Devils in the first half of the season.

Tui Lolohea has been a star performer for Huddersfield this season. (Picture: SWPix.com)Tui Lolohea has been a star performer for Huddersfield this season. (Picture: SWPix.com)
Tui Lolohea has been a star performer for Huddersfield this season. (Picture: SWPix.com)

His departure from Leeds turned out to be a blessing in disguise with Lolohea going on to play in the 2019 Super League Grand Final and the 2020 Challenge Cup final.

The 27-year-old suffered the agony of defeat on both occasions but that has only increased his appetite for success.

Now a key man for Huddersfield Giants, Lolohea is ready to end his quest for a first major trophy against Wigan Warriors in Saturday’s Challenge Cup final.

“It’d be the best feeling,” he told The Yorkshire Post.

Huddersfield celebrate a try during the semi-final win. (Picture: SWPix.com)Huddersfield celebrate a try during the semi-final win. (Picture: SWPix.com)
Huddersfield celebrate a try during the semi-final win. (Picture: SWPix.com)
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“Winning silverware is one of the things on my footy bucket list. I get another opportunity this weekend and I’m going to try my best to help the team get a win.

“It would be massive for the town. Huddersfield is the birthplace of rugby league and where it started.

“Every player wants to play in these games but not many people get to finals; some players never get to finals.

“I’ve been to two and haven’t won either so hopefully it’s third time lucky.”

The 2020 final was a strange experience for Tui Lolohea. (Picture: SWPix.com)The 2020 final was a strange experience for Tui Lolohea. (Picture: SWPix.com)
The 2020 final was a strange experience for Tui Lolohea. (Picture: SWPix.com)
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Lolohea is one of three Huddersfield players who lined up for Salford in the 2020 Wembley final, together with Luke Yates and Sebastine Ikahihifo.

Coached by current Giants boss Ian Watson, the Red Devils suffered an agonising 17-16 defeat at the hands of Leeds.

Lolohea will tap into that experience this weekend but he is expecting a different kind of occasion to the behind closed doors event two years ago.

“I’m buzzing,” he said.

Luke Yates, Tui Lolohea and Ian Watson all swapped Salford for Huddersfield. (Picture: SWPix.com)Luke Yates, Tui Lolohea and Ian Watson all swapped Salford for Huddersfield. (Picture: SWPix.com)
Luke Yates, Tui Lolohea and Ian Watson all swapped Salford for Huddersfield. (Picture: SWPix.com)

“Finals don’t come around too often so to be part of another one is pretty special.

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“I’ve got experience from 2020. Having fans in will probably be the big difference. The noise means you’ll have to speak a bit louder and relay things a bit more.

“It’s a big game but you can’t let the emotion get to you. The adrenaline is all part of it.

“There’s probably a bit more excitement around it but if you prep the same and play the same, you shouldn’t have a problem.”

Huddersfield are in a good place heading into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium showpiece.

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The run to the final has not affected the Giants’ Super League form with Watson’s team winning three games either side of the victory over Hull KR at Elland Road.

After claiming a much-needed win at Wakefield Trinity the week before the semi-final, Huddersfield saw off Wigan and Toulouse Olympique on home soil to settle into a top-four spot.

Although the Giants were far from their best against their French visitors last Friday, Lolohea was encouraged by the manner of the victory after overturning a 16-6 deficit in the second half.

“Last week against Toulouse was disappointing but the way we came back to win the game showed the character in us,” he said.

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“It takes a good team to win in those situations. I think I would rather have won like that than won by 40 points.

“It shows that we fight to the end which is what we’re all about. It probably wasn’t the way we wanted to play but the way we won gives us confidence going into a big game.”

A solitary point separates the teams in the Super League table but Wigan are being viewed as strong favourites to claim the Challenge Cup.

The Warriors - in their first season under new head coach Matt Peet - have enjoyed a strong start to the year, although they have lost both games since beating St Helens in the semi-finals.

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Peet’s men lost at the John Smith’s Stadium in a game between two understrength teams before coming unstuck against Hull FC seven days out from the final.

Lolohea has not been fooled by those results, insisting it will take Huddersfield’s best performance of the season to bring the trophy back to the town for the first time since 1953.

“Definitely,” said the influential full-back.

“The last two weeks they’ve lost back-to-back games but that definitely doesn’t sum them up as a team.

“They’re a top-two team at the minute and are playing well. Their key players are standing out for them so it’s a big job for us.

“But if we play to our best, we have a good chance of winning the game.”

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