Huddersfield Giants can “put the town on the map” if they win the Challenge Cup for the first time since 1953 this weekend. The Giants face Wigan Warriors in Saturday’s final at Tottenham, their first major final since 2009 and the first under the stewardship of Ian Watson, who has his own personal score to settle along with several members of his squad.
Watson and the likes of Tui Lolohea and the Giants’ captain, Luke Yates, were part of the most surreal final in history in 2020, when Salford narrowly fell short against Leeds Rhinos inside an empty Wembley Stadium due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With Huddersfield Town bidding for promotion to the Premier League 24 hours later, the Giants are one half of a momentous weekend of sport for the West Yorkshire town.
And Yates insists it is a chance to ensure Huddersfield are considered as a force in rugby league once again after decades in the shadows. “The whole town is going to be down in London pretty much, so it’s up to us to start the weekend off right,” he said. “We can put the town on the map but from our own perspective, it’s a chance to do something historic. It’s long overdue for this club, nearly 70 years without a trophy, so it’s time to make some history.”
Huddersfield full-back Lolohea was also part of the Salford squad that lost 17-16 to Leeds in 2020. “It was a surreal day,” he admitted. “Playing in a final is supposed to be one of the best days of your career but it ended up being one of the worst given the result and the fact it was empty, and my family weren’t there. You do wonder if you’ll ever get another chance to do it properly, so to speak, so to have this chance is something we aren’t taking for granted.
Huddersfield Tui Lolohea; Innes Senior, Ricky Leutele, Leroy Cudjoe, Jermaine McGillvary; Will Pryce, Olly Russell; Chris Hill, Danny Levi, Oliver Wilson, Chris McQueen, Josh Jones, Luke Yates. Interchange Ashton Golding, Owen Trout, Joe Greenwood, Matty English.
Wigan Jai Field; Liam Marshall, Jake Bibby, Iain Thornley, Bevan French; Cade Cust, Harry Smith; Brad Singleton, Brad O’Neill, Liam Byrne, Liam Farrell, John Bateman, Morgan Smithies. Interchange Patrick Mago, Ethan Havard, Thomas Leuluai, Kaide Ellis.
Referee J Child.
“There’s a chance to put 2020 right for a few of us but there’s also a chance to get out there and bring success to Huddersfield after so long.”
Lolohea is likely to start at full-back despite the talented youngster, Will Pryce, finishing a 10-match ban in time to return for the final. Pryce could deputise at half-back for the injured Theo Fages, while Wigan – bidding to win the cup for a 20th time – could bring their captain, Thomas Leuluai, back into their squad for the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as he nears a return from injury.
