Liam Finn slams 'scandalous' Huddersfield Giants after dismal first-half showing against St Helens

Super League's basement side were out of Thursday's game by half-time, conceding 24 points to underline the size of the task facing new head coach Jim Lenihan.

The Australian, who was watching on from home before flying to England next week, saw the Giants rally after the interval but the 26-18 scoreline could not mask an ugly opening quarter.

"First 20 minutes, absolutely nowhere near," said interim boss Finn. "Miles off.

"Unacceptable on any level – never mind a Super League and professional level.

"Five errors in the first 10 minutes against any team, you get punished. We got punished and got what we deserved.

"We got booed off at half-time and rightly so. People are paying their money to watch that. Scandalous, really, from us.

"We needed a reaction at half-time and got one in the second half. We completed 15 sets out of the first 15 sets and got ourselves back in the game. It's not that complicated, our game."

Finn will hand over the reins to Lenihan in time for next Friday's away clash with Leeds Rhinos.

The former Dewsbury Rams and Halifax Panthers boss oversaw an immediate improvement after replacing Luke Robinson in March, only for Huddersfield to follow back-to-back wins with four straight defeats.

Finn was beaten to the permanent job by Lenihan but has expressed his willingness to stay on under the new head coach.

"Obviously I let my interest be known but realistically I knew that it wasn't going to be me this time around," he said.

"I put my name in the hat because I want people to know that's where I want to be in the future and what I want to do with my career.

"Now Jim has come in, I'm 100 per cent behind him. I look forward to working with him and hopefully learn a few things off him, get some experience and add value to his group and him for the remainder of the season – and hopefully further than that."