Match Report: Giants v Warrington Wolves (A)

Match Report for Warrington Wolves v Huddersfield Giants in the Super League.

It's come to that time in the season where Huddersfield hit the road for several weeks whilst the turf at the John Smith's is changed over and concerts take the stage. In the first weekend of travel the Giants were in for their first scorcher of the season as they visited the Halliwell Jones Stadium with the heat coming from off and on the pitch. 

Ian Watson promised changes in the halves and those changes came. Oliver Russell made his long awaited 9 week return to the Giants side with Will Pryce coming into FB. 

Mistakes have punished the Giants in recent weeks and it was no different at the start of this game, Esan Marsters was deemed to have dropped the ball after being tackled and after the scrum from Wire, they worked the ball down the centre where Sam Kasiano found a gap to put Warrington 6 - 0 up after an easy conversion.

But five minutes later the Giants found themselves on the scoreboard, a great kick from Theo forced a goal line dropout (GLD) and from the restart the Giants worked the ball fast from left to right, great hands from Pryce and Kevin Naiqama meant Bibby was free on the righthand side for an easy try. Oli Russell couldn't convert from the touchline. 6 - 4

On the 18th minute mark Warrington extended their lead, Josh Thewlis found a gap and ran the full length of the field for the 2nd Warrington try. Converted once again. five minutes later they found the line again thanks to George Williams. After 25 minutes the Giants had work to do, 18 - 4.

After the restart Daryl Clark dropped the ball and the Giants got a scrum on the Wire 20, a big opportunity that they needed to take. And take it they did.

Simple stuff from the Giants found Leroy Cudjoe, who skipped his way through the Wire line to score a 2nd Giants try. This time it was converted by Russell. 18 -10.

With only 10 minutes left on the clock Warrington had been threatening the line but the Giants worked well to keep them out. And at HT the score was still Warrington 18 - 10 Giants.

Right from the restart the Giants thought they had a chance. A dropped ball meant the Giants had a scrum right on the Wire 10, but the ball was stolen at the death and Warrington went the full length of the field and scored again through Danny Walker. Converted. 24 - 10.

The following few minutes can only be described as... mad.

Warrington think they have scored again but the video ref said no for a 2nd time. The Giants then made there way up the field and after a penalty inside the Wire 20, Kevin Naiqama got the ball and forced his way through from 10 meters out! Brilliant effort and good kick from Russell made the score 24 - 16.

Then in the very next set, Theo Fages put in a kick on the forth tackle, Jake Bibby caught on the full, offloaded to Chris McQueen who managed to offload to Theo Fages who managed to power his way through to find the line! And Russ converted again. Suddenly it's 24 - 22!

In the 62nd minute it looked as though the Wire may have put it to bed after a mistake saw Warrington go through again. 30 - 22

But the Giants kept fighting right to the end. Fantastic work by Will Pryce saw him put Tui Lolohea through who managed to reach the line. Russell missed the kick and unfortunately the Giants couldn't find the line again. 

Final Score – Warrington Wolves 30 – 26 Huddersfield Giants

HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS - Will Pryce, Jake Bibby, Kevin Naiqama, Esan Marsters, Innes Senior, Oliver Russell , Theo Fages, Chris Hill, Nathan Peats, Oliver Wilson, Leroy Cudjoe, Chris McQueen, Luke Yates

INTERCHANGES – Adam Milner, Tui Lolohea, Harry Rushton, Seb Ikahihifo. 18th Man, Jake Connor

TRIES – Jake Bibby, Leroy Cudjoe, Kevin Naiqama, Theo Fages, Tui Lolohea

GOALS – Oliver Russell x 3