Owen Trout helped blast Huddersfield to a first Challenge Cup final in 13 years and fired: “It’s time people started taking us seriously.”
The rangy prop, 22, was discarded by Leeds Rhinos a couple of years ago as a makeweight in the deal that saw Kruise Leeming go the other way. But he has come of age under Ian Watson’s guidance - and returned to Leeds as Giants thrashed hapless Hull KR in Saturday’s Elland Road semi-final. Huddersfield, who have not won the Cup since 1953, face Wigan in the May 28 final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Trout’s try from close range in front of the delirious Giants fans helped finish off the embarrassed Robins. He said: “It was surreal. I’m a Wakefield lad and a lot of my mates support Leeds United and sit in that South Stand. It’ll be a good one to tell them about if they weren’t watching on TV.
“Danny Levi gave me a perfect ball and I was lucky enough to get through the gap. Looking up and seeing all those fans in front of me was great. In the latter moments of the game as well when they were singing all the songs, it just gave us an extra boost.
“It’s going to be unreal at Tottenham. We’re just 80 minutes away from hopefully lifting silverware and starting this dynasty we want at Huddersfield. We’ve all been saying in pre-season in the media we’re here to not only take part but compete for trophies. And I feel it’s about time people started taking us seriously.”
KR certainly do after being ruthlessly picked apart. Man-of-the match Jermaine McGillvary scored a wonder try after Josh Jones and Innes Senior efforts. Rovers were only spared being nilled two weeks running by Shaun Kenny-Dowall’s 77th minute cross.
Now Trout will look to get an early shot across the bows of Wigan as Giants host them in Super League on Thursday. He has come a long way since his early days at Rhinos where the forward only played one game and spent much of his time on loan with part-timers Featherstone Rovers and Dewsbury Rams.
Did Trout ever wonder his chance at elite level might have disappeared? He insisted: "This has always been my aim. When I went to Dewsbury and Featherstone it was more to get some experience against men when I was younger. "But I feel like it’s really paid off now. Everyone plays rugby in generally to play in these sorts of games and I’m really thankful."
