HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 48 CASTLEFORD TIGERS 16
EMMA KENNEDY, Accu Stadium, Saturday

HUDDERSFIELD brought the curtain down on 32 years at the Accu Stadium in style with a comfortable win over Castleford – despite playing over half the match with 12 men.

Jim Lenihan’s side were good value for a victory that propels them above the Tigers to a twelfth-placed finish that had seemed a distant dream for large parts of the campaign.

Despite Fenton Rogers’ red card late in the first half, the Giants pulled away to go close to matching the 50-12 thumping that had started their time at the venue in 1994, in a second-tier game against Barrow.

The departing Tui Lolohea, Adam Clune, Jacob Gagai and Taane Milne all caught the eye in their final appearances for the Giants, who will rebuild in 2027 at Dewsbury’s FLAIR Stadium.

Castleford applied the early pressure, and thought they had taken the lead in the ninth minute off the back of the game’s first penalty when Daniel Sarbah dived into the left corner, only for the winger to be tackled into touch as Lolohea saved a certain try.

The close shave sparked Huddersfield into life, and after having won a penalty of their own, Connor Wrench sent Milne into the right corner to break the deadlock two minutes later, Lolohea superbly converting from the touchline in the first of seven successful kicks.

However, a defensive horror show allowed Castleford to pull level. With the Giants unable to collect a Daejarn Asi last-tackle grubber, the ball instead fell kindly for Jordan Lane, who sent Liam Hood crashing under the posts to hand Ben McNamara a simple conversion.

But that was as good as it got for the Tigers in the first half, having allowed Huddersfield to score a quick-fire double and open up an 18-6 lead.

Castleford were quickly punished by Tristan Powell after having been caught offside, with Lolohea then sending Wrench over untouched in a move straight off the training ground.

Things threatened to take a turn for the worst for the hosts when Rogers was sent off for leading with his elbow on Tyler Dupree.

But Huddersfield seemed to show no ill effects, extending their lead to 24-6 as Clune’s cut-out pass released Gagai, who turned past an attempted tackle to score their fourth try of the half.

Castleford left the field to boos at half-time, but did give their travelling supporters something to cheer just two minutes after the restart as Asi burst over next to the posts from a Mapapalangi break, McNamara again converting.

However, they put themselves back under pressure after knocking-on the restart, with Gagai held up before Louis Senior did just enough to prevent Lewis Jagger from extending Huddersfield’s lead with an acrobatic finish into the left corner.

At the other end, the Tigers continued to look lively, with Cain Robb going without the ball before Dupree lost possession as he reached out to score.

The Giants responded by winning a drop-out, and then a penalty, with Lolohea continuing his perfect afternoon from the tee.

After having soaked up the pressure of back-to-back repeat sets on their line, Huddersfield were handed another gilt-edged chance when a ball out of the back evaded everyone, allowing Gagai to race 60 metres downfield before forcing another drop-out.

This time it was Zac Woolford who profited from a neat interchange of passes with Joe Greenwood to go over on the hour, Lolohea making it six from six from the tee.

Gagai doubled his tally seven minutes later after running onto Clune’s short pass, the halfback then setting up Jagger to dive over out wide with nine minutes left to play.

Lane scored a late consolation for the Tigers after Sarbah had raced from deep in his own half, but the Giants had the final word when Milne was put through a gap in the dying seconds, Tanguy Zenon converting on the hooter.

GAMESTAR: Tui Lolohea starred at both ends of the pitch on his final Huddersfield appearance, with his kicking game proving a particular handful.

GAMEBREAKER: A burst of Huddersfield tries killed Castleford’s bright start to both halves.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Connor Wrench’s try was a slick move straight off the training ground.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Tui Lolohea (Huddersfield)
2 pts Jacob Gagai (Huddersfield)
1 pt Adam Clune (Huddersfield)

MATCHFACTS

GIANTS
1 Niall Evalds
42 Lewis Jagger
34 Connor Wrench
3 Jacob Gagai
4 Taane Milne
6 Tui Lolohea
7 Adam Clune
8 Tristan Powell
9 Zac Woolford
16 George King
17 Joe Greenwood
12 Sam Hewitt
13 Harry Rushton
Subs (all used)
14 Fenton Rogers
18 Kieran Rush
22 Jack Billington
29 Tanguy Zenon
18th man (not used)
45 Oliver Leyland
Also in 21-man squad
28 Logan Blacker
– Matty Hanley
– Stan Hobson

Tries: Milne (11, 79), Powell (26), Wrench (31), Gagai (35, 67), Woolford (60), Jagger (71)
Goals: Lolohea 7/8, Zenon 1/1
Dismissal: Rogers (35) – leading with elbow

TIGERS
35 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
21 Louis Senior
12 Alex Mellor
23 Krystian Mapapalangi
44 Daniel Sarbah
6 Daejarn Asi
43 Ben McNamara
39 Jack Brown
9 Liam Hood
10 George Lawler
11 Jordan Lane
14 Brock Greacen
13 Joe Stimson
Subs (all used)
25 Sam Hall
27 Cain Robb
32 George Hirst
36 Tyler Dupree
18th man (not used)
41 Lazarus Vaalepu
Also in 21-man squad
7 Tom Weaver
26 Alfie Lindsey
– Sam Grice

Tries: Hood (17), Asi (42), Lane (75)
Goals: McNamara 2/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 12-6, 18-6, 24-6; 24-12, 26-12, 32-12, 36-12, 42-12, 42-16, 48-16

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Giants: Tui Lolohea; Tigers: Krystian Mapapalangi

Penalty count: 5-4
Half-time: 24-6
Referee: Tara Jones
Attendance: 5,376