HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS ensured their 2024 Super League season ended in a victorious fashion,
It was nervy early on as both sides justified their lowly position in the Super League table before Huddersfield did finally break the deadlock on 18 minutes.
Jason Qareqare dropped an Adam Clune bomb into the path of Sam Hewitt, who weaved his way to the line despite Rooney’s best attempts. Olly Russell converted for a 6-0 lead.
A brilliant Clune 40/20 in the next set laid the platform for the Giants to notch their second.
And it was that man Clune again that provided the assist, poking a grubber through for Harry Rushton to pounce. Russell made it 12-0 with the boot.
It was one-way traffic by now for the hosts and after Hewitt got on the outside shoulder of the Castleford defence, his offload found Aidan McGowan in the corner.
This time Russell’s conversion hit the post, but Huddersfield were still 16-0 up with the Tigers offering no reply whatsoever.
It was a piece of magic that effectively ended the game as a contest with three minutes to go until the break, Lolohea chipping and chasing over the top of the Castleford defence on the first tackle before regathering and dotting down for a scintillating score. Russell converted to make it 22-0.
Even with two sets near the Giants’ line at the start of the second-half, the visitors couldn’t get over with Jake Bibby being upended after catching a dreadful Milnes kick.
That paved the way for Marsters to burst through some woeful defending around halfway and it was his pass that sent Clune under the posts for a deserved try. Russell converted for a 28-0 lead.
A side that was thrashed 66-0 by Warrington last week was beginning to turn it on, but it was actually Castleford that hit back on 55 minutes.
Following a brilliant Rooney break, Jacob Miller kicked wide for Qareqare to pounce. Milnes, however, couldn’t convert as Huddersfield led 28-4.
Normal service was resumed on the hour as Hewitt stepped on the inside of some more shoddy tackling to cross. Russell’s conversion sent the Giants up 34-4.
With victory in the bag, the hosts began to let their foot off the gas and Castleford capitalised, Mellor jumping highest to a Miller kick on 73 minutes. Milnes converted to round off the scoring at 34-10.
Huddersfield Giants
6 Tui Lolohea – 8
30 Aidan McGowan – 7
3 Esan Marsters – 8
22 Harvey Livett – 7
5 Jake Bibby – 6
7 Adam Clune – 9
23 Olly Russell – 7
8 Chris Hill – 6
9 Adam Milner – 6
17 Oliver Wilson – 8
16 Harry Rushton – 7
12 Sam Hewitt – 9
21 Leroy Cudjoe (C) – 8
Substitutes
10 Joe Greenwood – 6
15 Matty English – 7
18 Seb Ikahihifo – 7
27 Kieran Rush – 6
Tries: Hewitt (18, 60), Rushton (21), McGowan (26), Lolohea (37), Clune (48)
Goals: Russell 5/6
Castleford Tigers
31 Fletcher Rooney – 7
23 Jason Qareqare – 3
1 Luke Hooley – 4
12 Alex Mellor – 5
5 Innes Senior – 5
16 Rowan Milnes – 4
7 Jacob Miller – 3
39 Akim Matvejev – 4
9 Paul McShane (C) – 4
13 Joe Westerman (C) – 6
11 Elie El-Zakhem – 4
10 George Lawler – 3
14 Liam Horne – 5
Substitutes
8 Liam Watts – 4
20 Muizz Mustapha – 2
21 Sylvester Namo – 6
36 Jenson Windley – 5
Tries: Qareqare (55), Mellor (73)
Goals: Milnes 1/2
Click here to get the digital edition of League Express
Click here to subscribe to the print edition of League Express
League Express is also widely available from local newsagents across the north of England.
