The Lowdown: Giants vs Rhinos

As we open our account at Home for the 2020 Super League Season, here is all you need to know

The Brief

Leeds Rhinos travel to the John Smith’s Stadium for the Home Opener of the 2020 Super League Season. Huddersfield come into the game off the back of a tremendous 32-12 win over Catalans in Week 1, whereas the Rhinos were beaten heavily at home in Week 1 by Hull FC.

The Teams

Richard Agar has named his 21 man squad to face Huddersfield Giants this Sunday with Rhyse Martin set to captain the team instead of Stevie Ward, who has been ruled out with concussion. Ava Seumanufagai returns for Leeds pic.twitter.com/SeYu1noIHs
— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) February 7, 2020

Head to Head

Matty English v Adam Cuthbertson

A classic case of the been there done that, and yet to be there and do that. English is one of the most exciting up and coming forwards in the league, having made numerous appearances for the Giants last season, many of which were due to heavy injuries in the forwards.

Metres everywhere 🔥 🔥 🔥

Solid Start from the #Polarbear against the Dragons. @mattyenglis ❄ 🐻 pic.twitter.com/b1kQZp9i1M
— Huddersfield Giants (@Giantsrl) February 4, 2020

But despite his lack of career appearance, he played 20 times for the Giants and produced some of the consistencies that Huddersfield desperately needed.

This season he comes in as a starting forward after a strong pre-season, and now will look to lead the line once again against a new look Leeds side, that includes the likes of NRL legend Matt Prior and, of course, Adam Cuthbertson.

Cuthbertson has been a key figure for Leeds ever since their 2015 treble winning season. That year alone the big forward made 125 offloads during the season, and it was that free-flowing play that allowed Leeds to be so dominant.

Last season Cuthbertson performed well as the Giants fell to their worse defeat of the season at home to the Rhinos but in this "Homecoming" it'll be English that goes into the game with confidence after a fine display and, most importantly, a win at the Stade Gilbert Brutus. English carried 13 times for 90 metres and had a tackle efficiency of around 90% as the Giants strode to their opening win of the season.

Key Players

Jordan Turner

JT will come back into the side after a one week suspension, for an incident that occurred during our pre-season friendly vs. Wakefield Trinity, and will be a key man in this battle as his opposite number is not yet revealed.

Turner started to get back to the form that saw him signed by the Canberra Raiders during this pre-season and will be looking to run, glide and step by whoever his opposing number is this Sunday.

Adam O'Brien

Questions were raised when Kruise Leeming departed the Giants for the Rhinos, and now all the weight is left on the shoulders of the squads senior specialist hooker. After a tough game against Catalans, that left O'Brien needing time on the sideline to recover after a clash with James Maloney.

O'Brien however put in a stellar performance leading the team around the field and creating space for talisman Aidan Sezer. His inclusion will again be vital, both defensively in stopping the pack and slowing down opposite number Brad Dwyer, and in attack trying to once again give Sezer and Gaskell time to influence the game.

Golden point at the John Smith's?

We look at three encounters in the last 6 seasons at the John Smith's that have finished a tie.

Huddersfield 12 -12 Leeds (2014)

This tussle could've gone either way, right down to the last score where Kevin Sinfield missed the conversion to edge the Rhinos two points ahead.

Stevie Ward put the visitors ahead in this classic battle but it was a Jodie Broughton debut try that brought the Giants back into the game, the scores staying 4-6 at the break. Brough's penalty conversion levelled it before Sinfield replied to put the Rhinos back up again.

Joe Wardle scored to put the Giants ahead for the first time in the game, and Brough conversion proved to be more vital than possibly anticipated.

Leeds try came through Watkins to make it 12-12 and Sinfield's miss meant that both sides would leave with the spoils.

 Huddersfield 24 - 24 Leeds (2015)

Huddersfield and Leeds have played out a few gripping contests over recent years and this 24-all draw was one of them.

At half-time, one could be forgiven for expecting the inevitable as the Giant trailed 8-22 to a dominant Rhinos outfit.

Three second half tries from current Giants Joe Wardle, Michael Lawrence and Jermaine McGillvary put the Claret and Gold into the lead but a late Leeds penalty levelled the scores and there they stayed after Liam Sutcliffe missed a Drop Goal in the dying embers of the game.

Huddersfield 22 -22 Leeds (2017)

In this early season clash it was the Giants that had the best of possession in the first half and built a healthy lead before Leeds came back into the game.

Jared Simpson's double put the Giants 14-6 up at half time, but responses from Ryan Hall and Ash Handley put the Rhinos ahead.

Adam O'Brien swung the game back into the Giants favour before - similar to 2 years previous - a late Rhinos penalty levelled the score, and both teams left with a point.

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