Nothing is won in the early stages of the season but the smiles on the faces of Ian Watson and his Huddersfield players at full-time told you everything about the optimism surrounding the Giants. Those closest to the club have been of the belief this kind of start – four wins in five, their best in the Super League era – has been coming for a number of years.
A number of promising youngsters have broken into the first team, and the one missing piece always felt like a coach with the ability to mould a squad with spending power and unbridled potential into contenders. Under Watson, a man who has taken Salford to both of the sport’s major finals against the odds, the signs are more encouraging than they have been for quite some time.
Yes, they were given a real scare here when a commanding 18-point half-time deficit was spectacularly overturned by a Castleford side who had offered almost nothing offensively in the first half and even less in the way of hope to their large travelling support. But when they fought back to lead 24-18, Huddersfield were presented with a real test of their mettle and their attitude. It was one they ultimately passed.
Four wins from five is by no means enough to guarantee the Giants’ place among the contenders for the title come the business end of the season. But the manner in how they won here, emerging through a tough period to triumph, suggests they certainly have some of the credentials required to last the distance.
“It shows there’s a resilience within the group,” Watson said. “They’re playing for the team as well as each other.”
The other underlying theme, as it has been elsewhere this season, was discipline. The crackdown on late and dangerous tackles has resulted in a swathe of yellow cards in 2022 and there were four in this game, two for either side. The periods where both sides were reduced to 12 men were vital, not least when George Lawler was sent to the sin-bin in the final quarter.
That gave the space for Huddersfield to level at 24-24 with Ricky Leutele’s try, before the centre followed suit four minutes later to put the hosts ahead once again. This time, it was a lead they would not surrender, with Leutele’s hat-trick in the dying moments securing victory.
“We’re going to start training with seven men,” said the Castleford coach, Lee Radford, when asked about the clampdown from the authorities.
He will be encouraged in the manner of his side’s comeback, but not their first-half display. It is one win from five for Castleford and after tries for Owen Trout, Luke Yates and Jermaine McGillvary in the opening half, they never really looked likely of troubling Huddersfield. However, Danny Levi’s yellow card – a harsh one on reflection – tipped the game in Castleford’s favour.
While Levi was off the field, Jake Trueman and Mahe Fonua crossed for tries, and when McGillvary was sent to the bin they struck again after Greg Eden raced across the line. Suddenly it was 18-18 and shortly after Eden’s try he broke free again, this time sending Trueman over for his second. Incredibly, Castleford were now ahead.
But when Lawler became the fourth player to see yellow, the game swung back in Huddersfield’s favour. They kept their composure and ruthlessly punished the Tigers, with Leutele the chief beneficiary.
Whisper it quietly but there may well be something special brewing in the town where rugby league was formed.
