BEFORE the start of the season I spoke at a Huddersfield Giants supporters’ event alongside their managing director Richard Thewlis, their coach Luke Robinson and the player who is enjoying a testimonial season, Matty English.

As always at most clubs, there was a palpable air of anticipation at the event, which I added to by suggesting that the Giants’ first five games of the Super League season were potentially winnable games.

What an inaccurate suggestion that was!

Everything that could have gone against the Giants since the start of the season seems to have done so.

I was watching their game on Saturday afternoon that was being broadcast by the Sportsman YouTube channel, and it was almost painful to watch as Hull KR were inevitably far too strong for them, eventually winning by 40 points against a team that was seriously weakened by having so many injuries.

I almost wished that the referee could call time before 80 minutes was up, as the Giants were in no position to compete.

Why do some teams, such as Huddersfield, seem to get so many injuries, while others, such as Hull KR, seem to incur relatively few injuries?

Is it just bad luck or is there some other factor involved?

Unfortunately I’m not qualified to pass judgement but it is frustrating to see the decline of the Giants in recent years.

It seemed to begin when they were beaten in the Challenge Cup Final at Tottenham in 2022, when Wigan won the Cup with a late try by Liam Marshall.

If Huddersfield had held on to win on that day, I wonder whether they would have avoided the predicament they now find themselves in.

Maybe that was a ‘Sliding Doors’ moment, although we’ll never know.