If the reigning Super League champions, Leeds, are scouring the globe for their new head coach, it appears they need not look too far from home for what appears to be the magic formula.
This is now four wins in five league games since Simon Woolford arrived as Huddersfield coach from Australia. Woolford is the latest NRL assistant looking for his break as a head coach in this country: Leeds may fancy that route yet, too.
Leeds will confirm the details surrounding Brian McDermott’s replacement on Friday – but they head to Castleford on Sunday in the competition’s bottom four after Huddersfield moved above them following this latest victory. But as well as the upturn in results, there is also plenty more for Woolford to be optimistic about.
How encouraging it must be for the Australian to see locally produced talent such as Darnell McIntosh – who scored twice on his 21st birthday here – thrive, but the headlines perhaps firmly fell at the feet of their evergreen half-back. Danny Brough is now 35 but, following this latest display, still has plenty to offer Woolford’s new-look Giants, it seems.
“Danny’s my type of player – he’s a competitor,” he said. “Sometimes that competitiveness has got him into strife but you never want to take that away from a player. He’s an important part of our team.”
Brough was hugely instrumental in the play which put the Giants 19-6 ahead at half-time, with tries by Daniel Smith, Aaron Murphy and Jordan putting the hosts in control at the break.
Hull will be five points adrift of the play-offs should Castleford beat Leeds on Sunday, and they were well-beaten here despite the second-half tries to Hakim Miloudi and Danny Houghton which were ultimately in vain. “From one to 17, there wasn’t anyone in a black and white shirt that outplayed their opponent,” their coach, Lee Radford said.
With two wins from their last five games, inconsistency continues to hold Hull back from mounting a credible challenge. Indiscipline was also an issue here, epitomised by the penalty conceded by Miloudi while in possession which led to McIntosh’s first try shortly after half-time. Brough’s touchline goal opened up a four-score lead and, even at that early stage, it was clear there was no way back for Hull.
The tries to Houghton and Miloudi threatened to make it briefly interesting, but McIntosh’s second soon after, the winger expertly rounding Miloudi, underlined Huddersfield’s dominance on the contest. Their top-eight destiny is now back in their own hands: with Woolford in charge, few would back against them getting over the line and avoiding the Qualifiers now.
Huddersfield Rankin; McGillvary, Gaskell, Wardle, McIntosh; Turner, Brough; Ta’ai, O’Brien, Lawrence, Mellor, Murphy, Smith. Interchange Hinchcliffe, Ikahihifo, Clough, Roberts. Tries Smith, Murphy, Rankin, McIntosh 2. Goals Brough 4. Drop goal Brough (39). Hull FC Miloudi; Faraimo, Scott, Tuimavave, Logan; Kelly, Connor; Paea, Houghton, Taylor, Hadley, Minichiello, Green. Interchange Matongo, Washbrook, Fash, Downs. Tries Faraimo, Miloudi, Houghton. Goals Connor 3. Referee R Hicks. Attendance 4,696.
