Giants win to leapfrog the Dragons

Huddersfield Giants (12) 28

Tries: Trout, Levi, Fages, Jones

Goals: Russell, Lolohea (5)

Drop-Goals:

Catalans Dragons (8) 12

Tries: Langi, Davies, Chan

Goals: 

Drop-Goals:

Huddersfield: Lolohea, I Senior, Leutele, Cudjoe, McGillvary, Cogger, Russell, Hill, Levi, Trout, McQueen, Jones, Yates.

Interchanges: Greenwood, Ikahihifo, Lawrence, Fages

Catalans Dragons: Tomkins, Davies, Romano, Langi, Yaha, May, Drinkwater, Napa, Garcia, Dudson, Seguier, Chan, McMeeken.

Interchanges: Da Costa, Le Cam, Goudemand, Cozza

Huddersfield Giants leapfrogged Catalans Dragons into third in the Betfred Super League table with a 28-12 win against the 2021 Super League Grand Finalists courtesy of tries from Theo Fages, Owen Trout, Josh Jones and Danny Levi and ten points from the boot of Tui Lolohea.

Huddersfield Giants welcomed Theo Fages and Jack Cogger back into the line-up for the visit of the Dragons, with Josh Jones also making his return to the squad for this pivotal Betfred Super League game. The Dragons were without Michael McIllorum and Mitchell Pearce for the game through injury. Significant travel disruption led the delay of the game from it's original kick-off time of 7:45pm, but just after 8:20pm the Giants got underway. 

The Giants were behind after just four minutes courtesy of Samisoni Langi, who managed to finish with millimetres between himself and the dead ball line. Tomkins was unable to convert from 5 in from the touchline, but the Dragons, despite the disruption, managed to edge in front in the early stages. Huddersfield struck back 11 minutes later with a well worked move finished by Owen Trout, and Olly Russell was able to dispatch the conversion from 20 inside the right-hand touchline to give the Giants their first lead of the game. 

Russell's day looked to soon be over however, as he was ushered down the tunnel after a head-knock, which forced Giants Head Coach into a reshuffle. Theo Fages, missing since the game against Hull KR in Round 2, was drafted in and the Giants made headway soon after, with electric hooker Danny Levi crossing over to extend the Giants lead to six point, soon after, that lead would be eight as Tui Lolohea, covering for the aforementioned Russell, dispatched the extras to make the lead eight with just 4 on the clock. 

The visitors would have the final word in the first-half, however, with 27 seconds remaining on the clock, a break through the middle was finished by Tom Davies to bring the Dragons within striking distance of the Giants. Tomkins would attempt the conversion after the hooter, but pulled it right of the post. The Giants took a four point lead into the break in a tight and tense game at the John Smith's Stadium. 

It would be Huddersfield who would strike first in the second stanza, with Tui Lolohea adding two points from the boot to extend the Giants lead to six points. Soon after, Theo Fages would get on the end of an excellently placed Jack Cogger kick to extend the Giants leads further. Tui Lolohea would strike his third of the night to extend the Giant lead to twelve points. 

A repeat set after a penalty gave the visitors three sets of six and the pressure told as with 19 remaining on the clock, Chan was able to get over on the left hand side to reduce the Giants lead to eight points. Tomkins was unable to add the extras however, missing his third kick of the day. 

With 11 left on the clock, John Jones made sure of the victory with a try caused by a kick from Theo Fages that spelled chaos for the Dragons defence. Tui Lolohea would kick his fourth of the day soon after, and the Giants lead was stretched to fourteen with just under ten remaining. Lolohea would kick his fifth of the game on the buzzer, making it a five from five record for the Tongan, and the Giants prepared for the Challenge Cup Quarter Final with an impressive in against the Super League Grand Finalists.