LIAM FINN aims to get the maximum out of extra time on the training ground as he tries to strengthen Huddersfield Giants’ defending.
As the club close in on a decision on their next coach, with Australian Daniel Holdsworth the latest to be linked, the interim coach is starting preparations for the home clash with St Helens on Thursday week, May 14.
Elimination from the Challenge Cup means a blank forthcoming weekend, and after the 34-4 defeat against Warrington at the Accu Stadium on Saturday, Finn has plenty he wants to work on.
It was a fifth match under his charge following the sacking of Luke Robinson, to whom he was assistant.
After five Super League defeats in five preceded Robinson’s departure, former Dewsbury and Halifax team chief Finn oversaw the Giants’ first two wins of the season at Wigan and at home to York.
But then came losses against Leeds and Leigh before the defeat by the Wolves, during which halfback Adam Clune went off with a hamstring issue.
“We need to be more resilient when we are under pressure, and we need to stop doing the things which put us under pressure,” said Finn.
“We’re not controlling the rucks and locking the ball up often enough, so that allows too many offloads.
“Ruck control is key – we’ll have four men in the tackle, two don’t get back fast enough, then we’re short on defenders.
“We have to keep chipping away and getting better, but with week-to-week games, you don’t always get loads of time to train.”
Finn feels Huddersfield could make more of secondrower Taane Milne’s propensity for ball carrying.
“He loves to do that and can really cause teams problems,” he said of the Fiji international and former South Sydney Rabbitohs man. “We need to start doing more off the back of it.”
According to Love Rugby League, Cronulla Sharks assistant coach Holdsworth, 42, who played for both the old Salford and Hull FC, is in line for the Giants job.