Warrington Wolves v Huddersfield Giants: Anderson refusing to look too far ahead as Wolves present big test

Victories against champions Leeds Rhinos, minor premiers Wigan Warriors and an astounding win at St Helens have illuminated Huddersfield’s rise to the top where they sit three points clear of the rest.

Succeeding at Challenge Cup holders Warrington Wolves tonight, though, will be another notable scalp for the West Yorkshire club, who have started the campaign with such a voracious appetite.

This will perhaps be the most difficult assignment yet given Huddersfield have failed to win in each of their last five meetings with last season’s beaten Grand Finalists, while their last win at the Halliwell Jones Stadium was the play-off success in 2010.

Coach Paul Anderson is aware of this fixture’s importance in the message it would send out to the rest of the competition but refuses to get too caught up in what it suggests in the long term.

“History tells you that being top at this time of the year doesn’t mean anything,” he said.

“We have to just keep doing what we are doing and grinding wins out. If we are three points clear come August then maybe we can look at it a bit closer because we will have done something right consistently.

“We are happy with where we are at but there is so much more improvement in us to come.

“If we beat Warrington, all it will mean is two points. Round one to 27 is about jostling for position and we know that we just have to keep accumulating the points.

“Warrington are a massive challenge and are a lot of people’s favourites to win the competition.

“They haven’t changed their squad from last year either, which means they have a settled side.

“They’re physical and hard to beat so we need to play well.”

Fourth-placed Warrington could close the gap to a point if they continue their recent dominance over Giants, who may remain unchanged from the side that defeated Hull FC.