Salford Red Devils 23 Huddersfield Giants 10: Excuses won't wash as losing start continues

Leeds Rhinos famously won the Super League title from fifth in back-to-back seasons, with Leigh Leopards the most recent example of a side that overcame a sluggish start to make the play-offs in 2024.

However, the early signs suggest that Huddersfield Giants' biggest battle this year may be to avoid the wooden spoon.

The Giants could point to injuries to key players and a four-day turnaround on Thursday but those excuses did not hold up against the embattled Salford Red Devils.

Salford remain under special measures to limit Paul Rowley's options following the departures of Marc Sneyd, Brad Singleton and Tim Lafai.

Yet it was Huddersfield that looked like the club in disarray on a night when they produced their worst performance of the season to date.

The Giants led at half-time in each of their previous five defeats but there was nothing in the way of positives in a clash between Super League's two winless sides.

Huddersfield were beaten to the punch by a Red Devils outfit that have been pushed to breaking point amid an ongoing financial crisis.

The result eases Salford's troubles and piles more pressure on Luke Robinson as he battles to convince the supporters he is the right man to take the Giants forward.

Robinson has been dealt a shoddy hand on the injury front – losing debutant Niall Evalds at half-time to compound matters – but patience is already in short supply.

Huddersfield's fall from grace since their 2022 play-off loss to the Red Devils has been stark, with the club dropping out of contention as quickly as they had arrived.

The Giants lost Ricky Leutele and Danny Levi at the end of that season and have continued to struggle to retain their top talent, which has accelerated their decline.

As is often the way, two old boys came back to haunt them on Thursday night.

The Red Devils dominated the early exchanges and opened the scoring when Esan Marsters brushed aside former team-mate Tui Lolohea to touch down out wide.

Another Lolohea error gave Salford the field position for their next try, ex-Huddersfield prop Chris Hill offloading to put Harvey Wilson over after a poor kick had gifted the hosts a seven-tackle set.

The Giants issued little in the way of a response and conceded again before the half-hour mark.

Salford shifted the ball at every opportunity and struck gold when quick hands sent Ethan Ryan clear down the right and Jayden Nikorima was in support to finish.

With better execution, the Red Devils would have been out of sight by half-time.

Huddersfield were just about still in it at 16-0 but could not find the early try they needed after the restart.

Sam Halsall came closest when he was denied by Chris Atkin as they challenged Lolohea's lofted kick.

Nikorima settled the issue just before the hour mark with a solo effort, bursting through tired defenders in the middle before rounding Lolohea with ease.

Once again, the try could be traced back to a poor kick by Lolohea at the other end.

Huddersfield avoided the ignominy of a nilling thanks to Adam Swift's try at the end of a slowing move and had the last word through Lolohea's powerful finish after Ryan Brierley had knocked over a one-pointer for Salford.

Salford Red Devils: Connell, Ryan, Marsters, Watkins, Cross, Brierley, Nikorima, Hill, Atkin, Ormondroyd, Wright, Wilson, Shorrocks. Substitutes: Morgan, Sangare, Bullock, Chan.

Tries: Marsters (6), Wilson (20), Nikorima (27, 58)

Goals: Brierley 3/4

Drop goal: Brierley (74)

Huddersfield Giants: Evalds, Swift, Milne, Bibby, Halsall, Lolohea, Sutcliffe, Rogers, Golding, English, Hewitt, Murchie, Cudjoe. Substitutes: Deakin, Rushton, Wilson, Billington.

Tries: Swift (68), Lolohea (76)

Goals: Sutcliffe 1/2

Referee: Tom Grant.