Huddersfield Giants 34 Salford Red Devils 2: Ian Watson tries to take pressure off Will Pryce as Giants thrash his old club

Ian Watson insisted he gained no extra satisfaction from beating former club Salford despite a six-try 34-2 stroll to secure Huddersfield’s third Super League win of the new campaign.
Huddersfield Giants' Innes Senior (right) scores his side's third try of the game during the Betfred Super League match at the John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield. Picture date: Sunday March 6, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story RUGBYU Huddersfield. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.Huddersfield Giants' Innes Senior (right) scores his side's third try of the game during the Betfred Super League match at the John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield. Picture date: Sunday March 6, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story RUGBYU Huddersfield. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
Huddersfield Giants' Innes Senior (right) scores his side's third try of the game during the Betfred Super League match at the John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield. Picture date: Sunday March 6, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story RUGBYU Huddersfield. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.

Winger Innes Senior grabbed two second-half tries and hot prospect Will Pryce touched down and landed five goals as Giants shrugged off last week’s reverse at Wigan.

Australian forward Chris McQueen notched his fifth try in four games and Jermaine McGillvary and Chris Hill also scored.

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Salford conceded 34 unanswered points after Marc Sneyd kicked them in front with an early penalty.

In control: Huddersfield Giants' Jermaine McGillvary scores his side's fifth try against Salford. Picture: Nick Potts/PA Wire.In control: Huddersfield Giants' Jermaine McGillvary scores his side's fifth try against Salford. Picture: Nick Potts/PA Wire.
In control: Huddersfield Giants' Jermaine McGillvary scores his side's fifth try against Salford. Picture: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

“Last year I was quite beat up losing the games,” said Watson of the team he took to the 2019 Grand Final.

“It wounded me because you always want to go up against your old club and win as well.

“I didn’t want to feel like that again but mentally I am in a different place. Last year it was fresh, I had just left Salford.

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“I am happy we won but it is more the manner in which we have won.”

Watson paid tribute to 19-year-old Pryce who showed again why he is one of the sport’s hottest properties.

“When you get a kid coming through like Will, everyone wants to put pressure on him,” said Watson. “People start saying he is going to the NRL, he is going to be playing for England and Great Britain.

“He might get there and we want to assist him to get there. But he needs to earn the right.

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“When you perform everyone gets excited but he needs to be left alone to play.”

Salford boss Paul Rowley, a former Huddersfield hooker, saw his side lose for a second successive game.

“The scoreline suggests we were well beaten but it does not reflect the effort the boys put in,” he said. “The execution of our attack was off but in defence we never gave in.

“We were tough, resilient and scrambled remarkably well.

“Huddersfield are in a good place and they are up there first or second in most stats in Super League. In the first two minutes we got a set restart against us, a repeat set and a penalty.

“It took a long time to get anything back from there.”

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Huddersfield: Lolohea, I. Senior, Leutele, Cudjoe, McGillvary, Pryce, Russell, Hill, O’Brien, Trout, Roberts, McQueen, Yates. Substitutes: Golding, English, Ikahihifo, Wilson.

Salford: Brierley, Burgess, Costello, Cross, Sio, Croft, Sneyd, Burke, Ackers, Vuniyayawa, Lannon, Wright, Taylor. Substitutes: Addy, Atkin, Ormondroyd, Akauola.

Referee: Tom Grant (RFL)