McGillvary wary of the challenge by wounded Rhinos

AS Huddersfield Giants play their way to the top of Super League, Jermaine McGillvary is insistent that the real test will come at Leeds.

The Giants winger has now scored seven tries in as many games but after another in Friday’s 29-10 victory over previous leaders Warrington Wolves he says he is ‘not really bothered’ about personal statistics.

“It’s a good feeling really but I don’t mind how regularly or often I score just as long as we’re winning,” explained McGillvary.

To be leading the Super League so early in the season – Castleford last night leapfrogged them on points difference after beating Salford – means that Huddersfield are in a strong position and McGillvary is ready for the challenge:

“I’m happy with the victory but we need to keep backing it up against the big sides,” he added.

“It’s okay beating the teams at the bottom but it’s teams like Wigan – we lost to them the other week – we’ve beaten Warrington and now we need to beat Leeds”

Leeds suffered at the hands of Hull KR at the weekend when the two injury-ridden sides met in a game that saw a revived Rovers storm back from 10 points down inside the first 14 minutes to finish 38-28.

This is not the only result this season that has seen Leeds make a promising start to a game, only to be outplayed before the final whistle; fixtures so far against Warrington and Wigan have followed suit.

The Rhinos can perhaps learn from the relatively inexperienced McGillvary, who crossed the line in the dying seconds on Friday despite his team being 13 points clear of their opposition.

It seems that the Giants have players at their disposal this season and Friday night’s win over the Wolves saw McGillvary edge his way into the squad over former Great Britain international David Hodgson.

“It’s unfortunate really,” he said.

“You have to keep playing at a top level week in, week out.

“Jamie Simpson’s just come over and Hodgy’s a top player but is not playing.

“I’ve just come from nowhere”

McGillvary knows that the Rhinos have the ability to regain form as quickly as they lose it and is taking nothing for granted in the run up to Friday’s game he said:

“Leeds are always a strong side they are always a top team around doing well towards the end of the season and hopefully we can get a victory over them,” he said.