'Job done' for Huddersfield Giants as Hull FC take positives from latest loss

A Jake Bibby double and tries from Seb Ikahihifo and Sam Halsall gave the Giants a comfortable 24-6 lead heading into the final 10 minutes, only for Hull to score twice to set up a tense finale.

Huddersfield held on for a first home victory of the Super League season at the sixth attempt.

"They know they've got the win and know they've done the job but they're a little bit disappointed with the last 10 minutes," said Giants boss Watson.

"But it's a win so nobody really cares. That’s what we needed to get our home form up and running and stem the tide. We need to move on positively now."

Huddersfield's only previous win at the John Smith's Stadium in 2024 was against Hull in the Challenge Cup.

Watson's men had scored 106 points in their previous two meetings with the beleaguered Black and Whites but expected a tougher challenge on Friday night and got one.

"We knew it was going to be a different Hull," added Watson. "They've been getting slightly better every week so we expected a real tough challenge.

"It was a nervy finish but overall the boys did what they needed to do. It was a great job.

"The score ending up so close probably doesn't show how dominant we were overall.

"For 70 minutes we've done the right things. We just fell off there and it's something for us to look at and learn from."

The 24-18 defeat was as close as Hull have come to ending their 11-match losing run.

While they can take encouragement from a performance that brought tries for Herman Ese'ese, Logan Moy and Cam Scott, interim boss Simon Grix stressed the Black and Whites were hurting from their latest loss.

"There were plenty of good things in the game and I'm proud of their effort despite that adversity," said Grix, who lost Danny Houghton, Liam Sutcliffe and Harvey Barron to injury.

"It was a step forward but we're still not going home happy. We're not winning but that's the closest we've been for a while."