Challenge Cup heartbreak “snatched the soul” out of Huddersfield Giants but their response shows they mean business this season, according to Jermaine McGillvary.
Huddersfield were just three minutes away from securing their first major silverware in 60 years last month, only for Wigan Warriors to snatch victory from their grasp in the final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
But Ian Watson’s side have managed to regroup in impressive fashion, securing a brilliant win away at Catalans Dragons less than a week later and then backing that up with another victory, at home to Leeds Rhinos.
It means the Giants have a five-point cushion inside the Super League top four and look likely to be in the play-off mix at the end of the season.
Challenge Cup final defeats can derail a team’s whole season and it hurt nobody more than winger McGillvary, for whom it was a first major club final of his storied career with his hometown club.
“We had a couple of days off and, even when we came back in, I was devastated,” said McGillvary.
“I didn’t even want to train, I’ll be honest. It really snatched the soul out of a lot of us.
“But it was a good win going to France, it’s a tough place to go and with the heat especially. Then Leeds are rejuvenated so it was a tough task.
“It just shows what we are about this season. There’s a lot of togetherness, a lot of character within the team.
“Last year or the year before we’d have been smoked in Catalans and lost against Leeds, but we’re building something good here.
“We’re still in the early stages but everyone can see we’re trying to build something.”
Meanwhile, Huddersfield hope to have halfback Oliver Russell back for Sunday’s trip to Hull KR
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