Giants’ academy graduates star in big win against COVID-hit Castleford

Huddersfield’s homegrown talent shone through as the Giants prevailed beating Castleford Tigers 34-16 on Monday night.

After going close in the opening stages, Ian Watson’s side were ahead within the opening 10 minutes through Leroy Cudjoe, one of the more experienced Huddersfield players in the squad. Cudjoe powered over the line as Oliver Russell made the conversion to kick-start what would be a perfect night for him with the boot and to give his team a 6-0 advantage.

The Tigers weren’t at their best all evening, though did have a mass of players missing due to ongoing COVID-related isolations. One of the ‘old-timers’ in Paul McShane produced some individual magic to level things up shortly after.

The hooker dabbed a kick to the in-goal area and chased after it to ground under pressure from two Giants defenders before converting the kick and adding the extras in the process.

Sadly for the Tigers, on what was the first time since March 2020 that they had an unrestricted home crowd at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle, that was as best as it got in the first-half and from then on, Huddersfield regained control.

Young Will Pryce did well to shift the ball to Cudjoe again in space not far from the line and the 33-year-old had the simple task of finishing off the try. His second of the evening and again, Russell converted.

Loanee Nathaniel Peteru also bagged himself a try almost instantly having come on as an interchange, taking advantage of some weak defence from a youthful Castleford team.

Just before half-time, Russell made it 20-6 for the Giants with the boot, converting a penalty from out wide although nobody at the Jungle seemed to know why that one was given. Nonetheless, Huddersfield were strong and deservedly led at the break.

Not long after the restart, Tigers’ skipper Michael Shenton was forced off the field through injury. It looked to be an innocuous one at the time, but boss Daryl Powell later revealed he feared the worst with a facial fracture.

Even without him, it must be said that the makeshift Fords’ team never gave in, and they did pull a try back through Brad Graham going in at the corner, but McShane failed to claim a few more points back as he missed his kick.

Sensing a potential comeback, Huddersfield were taking every opportunity to put daylight between themselves and the hosts on the scoreboard. Russell converted another penalty from 15 metres out to push the advantage to 12.

Not over yet, but Castleford knew that they had to score and soon. When Jimmy Keinhorst, a short-term emergency loan signing made earlier this week, made a burst for the line and spilled the ball in the process, all at the Jungle sensed that may well be the end.

If that wasn’t, then the try that Huddersfield got from the resulting set confirmed it. Luke Yates dropped onto the line, getting a slither of the ball to touch the all-important white line.

Jermaine McGillvary also got in on the act before the end, diving in at the corner to put the game firmly to bed having received a superb offload on the last from a teammate.

It would be the Tigers with the last say on proceedings through another emergency loanee in Jake Sweeting. Just before the hooter, he went over easily having taken the ball in space. McShane converted but Castleford fell to a home defeat.

The Breakdown

With their fifth win of the campaign, Huddersfield move up to ninth in the Super League table, leapfrogging Salford Red Devils and going just one spot below the defeated Tigers. The Giants have now won two games in a row having lost six straight matches beforehand. Ian Watson’s side next face Wakefield Trinity at home this weekend.

Meanwhile, Castleford still sit eighth but now have a win percentage of exactly 40%. The rest of the play-off chasing pack all have significantly better totals than that, so finishing in the top six come the end of the campaign is going to be a tough ask for Daryl Powell’s men.

It must be said that the Tigers are massively depleted due to the ongoing COVID outbreak within the club’s playing squad. 15 men were absent for the meeting with the Giants, and they have also now lost captain Michael Shenton to that facial injury.

The fixture list doesn’t get any easier with a trip to Leeds Rhinos to come and some of those absentees are expected to return into contention. They will be trying to stop the rot of what is now five consecutive defeats including last month’s Challenge Cup final.

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