Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhinos: Composure crucial for Giants' hopes of revival

Huddersfield are at home tonight to Leeds Rhinos in a fixture that starkly illustrates how fortunes have changed this year.

When the teams met on the same ground last September, in the final game of the Super-8s, Leeds were top of the table and Huddersfield occupied third position, with both sides having a chance of finishing as league leaders.

Rhinos’ last-gasp victory completed the second leg of their domestic treble and they and Huddersfield were expected to be among the title contenders again this year.

Instead, Huddersfield will go into this evening’s encounter bottom of the table, with Leeds just two places better off in 10th spot.

Huddersfield have won two of their opening 12 games, one fewer than the defending champions, and only Salford Red Devils’ six-point deduction for past breaches of the salary cap prevents the match being a showdown between the bottom two.

After tonight, just 10 rounds will remain before Super League splits and the beaten team will be facing the real prospect of a place in the Middle 8s, competing against the Championship’s leading quartet, over the final quarter of the season.

Even a win may not be enough, but Anderson is confident Huddersfield are improving and remain capable of pulling clear of the bottom four.

Their last home game saw them record a stunning 11-0 win over leaders Warrington Wolves and he felt they deserved something from last week’s 
26-19 reverse at high-flying Wigan Warriors.

Huddersfield led 12-6 at half-time, but were heavily penalised and had two players sin-binned in the second half after home captain John Bateman had spoken to referee Joe Cobb to complain about a slow ruck.

“All we want is a fair crack and a fair 50/50 split of possession and we know we can hurt teams,” Anderson said ahead of tonight’s game.

“We have shown over the past few weeks some definite improvements and we have got to turn that into wins now.

“We are where we are because consistently we haven’t been good enough, but over the last couple of weeks you can see we have got better and we are getting back into our defensive groove, which is helping us.

“We just want a fair crack of the whip with everything being equal and fair across the board in regards to decisions.”

The pressure is on both teams, who meet again at Huddersfield next Friday in the Challenge Cup sixth round.

According to Anderson, the side who keep a cool head are most likely, on both occasions, to come out on top.

He added: “One of the things you find when you are in the position we are is when you get to key points in the game – and Leeds will be the same – that franticness in your game takes you under a bit.

“We have just got to make sure we get back to just playing for 80 minutes and everybody giving each other opportunities.

“These games are usually top of the table-type clashes, but we are where we are so there is some added pressure in there.

“I think whoever keeps their composure the longest will win the game. We have got the scramble now to hit the Super 8s rather than the Siddle 8s and we have got to try and get ourselves in that top eight.”

Eorl Crabtree and Jake Wardle are in contention to return for Huddersfield tonight, along with Tyler Dickinson and Gene Ormsby, but Craig Huby is sidelined after suffering a pectoral muscle injury and Kruise Leeming also drops out from last week’s team.

Second-row forward Joe Wardle also believes Huddersfield are not far away from getting on a winning roll.

“If we can just keep doing the positive things I am sure the tide will turn and we will start getting some wins,” Wardle insisted.

“It is only a matter of time. We aren’t playing badly, we are just switching off and that five per cent out of the 100 per cent is what is letting us down at the minute. If we keep switched on then the results will turn.”

Wardle is aware Leeds will be equally “desperate” tonight.

He added: “I think both teams will go out there with all guns blazing with both wanting the two points and to build on it for the Challenge Cup next week.

“It’s a massive game. It is always feisty and always entertaining against Leeds.

“We just need to turn up, make sure we put the 100 per cent effort in and play for 80 minutes and I am sure we can win.

“That will be great leading into the Challenge Cup next Friday.”