Wigan Warriors v Huddersfield Giants - Luke Robinson hoping season is not over for Giants

The West Yorkshire club may be consigned to a seventh-placed finish but they know they can deny Wigan the League Leaders’ Shield if they win their final regular round of the Super League season at Emerald Headingley tonight.

It may also be a last game in charge for Robinson, the assistant coach who took the reins when Simon Woolford left Huddersfield in September.

He is looking forward to taking on Lam, the former Queensland State of Origin captain who taught him so much when he was a young scrum-half coming through the ranks at Wigan.

Lam, the former Sydney Roosters and Papua New Guinea great, actually wanted Robinson to be his replacement when he retired in 2005 but he was moved on by incoming coach Denis Betts to Salford Red Devils shortly afterwards.

Nevertheless, Robinson, who went on to play for England and won a League Leaders’ Shield himself with Huddersfield in 2013, recalls their time together fondly.

“It’s strange isn’t it?” he said, ahead of this evening’s meeting.

“As Academy lads we were all paired with a senior bloke and mine was actually Matty Johns to start with. That was an experience in itself.

“But then it was Lammy and I’d just fill the void. There was no question of me ever taking his spot; if he got injured or whatever I’d go in.

“But he was great with me, a really nice, welcoming bloke. He took me under his wing, and showed me how the game was meant to be played.

“When I was 17 I never really thought about what was going on but he was really good with me in those early days.

“I never had the greatest of kicking games, and he always took me aside and explained the mechanics of it to me and what to do in certain situations.

“I’m forever thankful for the help he gave me.”

Huddersfield are desperate to finish their season on a high having lost their last four games although, of course, things might not be over after tonight.

With the regular season this week ended early in order to extend the play-offs to the top-six, Giants have been put on ‘stand-by’ by Super League to step in next week if any of the participating clubs are derailed by a Covid outbreak.

It means Robinson’s squad cannot down tools immediately after tonight’s game but he said: “There’s a real possibility (of it happening).

“The way that I spoke to the lads was to say it’s an opportunity for us.

“Obviously we’ll want to get the win against Wigan.
But we need to see it as an opportunity to play really well this week and be ready to take the opportunity with both hands if it does happen.”

Robinson said Ireland prop Ronan Michael will make his Super League debut this evening when St Helens will finish top if Giants prosper. It caps a remarkable story for the 20-year-old, who hails from Ballbriggan, and linked up with Huddersfield’s first-team last year after paying his own way for a trial.

Michael spent time with Canberra Raiders Under 20s this year and Robinson is excited to see what he can do.

“It’s probably been mentioned numerous times that he paid for his own flight,” he said.

“He’s worked here and he’s been doing things like cleaning windows. All the lads know that he deserves it. He’s done everything that’s been asked of him. He turns up to training with an infectious smile and one thing you’ll never lack with him is determination and enthusiasm.”

Robinson has opted to give some of the club’s other younger players a chance tonight.

He added: “We still want to win every game; we’re not going to play a completely different brand of rugby.

“But the team I’ve selected this week reflects my desire to build from within.

“The top teams from the past – the Leeds teams, the St Helens team now, the Wigan teams of the past – all have young players graduating into the first-team.

“This week I’ve managed to give lots of young lads an opportunity. I’m hoping they’ll take that,” he added.

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