Lunt delivers the goods for Huddersfield

The ex-England hooker produced a brilliant display yesterday in his first game since injuring a calf in the win over Wigan on May 29.

Lunt was straight back into the action, scoring one fine solo try and creating another two as Huddersfield opened up a 32-0 interval lead.

But he said: “It helped me with our forwards being on top.

“We had plenty of ball and it’d have been a different story if it’d been the other way around.

“Our pack ran hard and put in a real team performance in that first half.”

Nevertheless, it was pleasing to see the 27-year-old looking so sharp so quickly after his two month lay-off.

“I was quite surprised, to be honest,” admitted Lunt, who has endured a catalogue of injuries in 2014.

“When I came back earlier on in the season against Hull KR I was really off the mark and the next game I was only alright.

“Then, when I broke my leg and came back against Warrington I was off the mark too.

“But I was really happy with how I went against Wakefield.

“The thing is we’ve got another week off now just when I want to be playing!”

With the Challenge Cup semi-finals this weekend, Huddersfield - in sixth spot but just four points adrift of leaders St Helens - are not in action again until Widnes Vikings visit on Sunday August 17.

Having been in the Super League Dream Team last season when Huddersfield lifted the League Leaders’ Shield, Lunt has managed just 12 games this year, scoring eight tries.

“I’ve had plenty of injuries but it’s rugby league and sometimes it can be quite a funny game,” said the player, who won a Grand Final when on loan at Leeds Rhinos in 2012.

“This year may have prolonged my career a bit; I’ll go into next season - fingers crossed - a lot fresher than the other boys will.

“I’ll only have played half the games of the rest.

“I had three ops in all during the last pre-season so I’m looking forward to this pre-season and having a big year in 2015.

“It’s been really hard, watching the boys play but the good thing is they’ve been winning.

“We’ve got a tough run-in now but that could put us in good nick come the end of the season and you’re pretty much playing Grand Finals every week.

“We’ve Warrington away then Hull and St Helens at home so that will get us mentally and physically ready.”

“Top spot might be out of reach but there’s still the top four and Wigan won it from fourth last year with Leeds from fifth in the previous two seasons.

“It doesn’t matter where you finish. We’ll go in confident but we’re not worrying about that yet. we’ve got some games to play first.”