It was inevitable that, when the Rugby Football League opted for a complete revamp of the league structure for 2015 and introduced the Super 8s, the new setup was going to favour some teams and boost their aspirations of winning the Super League Grand Final. Huddersfield traditionally failed spectacularly in the cut-throat nature of a four-week play-off series but, after this comprehensive victory over Warrington, the Giants have secured their spot in the semi-finals with two games remaining.
The Huddersfield coach, Paul Anderson, said: “It was a very professional performance. We can put the top-four talk to bed now and begin to prepare for the semi-finals in two weeks’ time. Some of the things we’re doing lately are befitting of semi-final football; there’s 27 days until the Grand Final and we want to have 27 good days to give ourselves a shot of winning a trophy.”
The Giants were top of the table after27 rounds two years ago but lost two outof three games in the play-offs to ensure they did not make Old Trafford, before their reputation as a side who cannot handle the business end of the season was underlined last year when they were dumped out of the race to the final by Catalans Dragons despite being overwhelming favourites.
This year could be different. Only one semi-final win is needed to make the season finale and they are showing the kind of September form they have never done before. A number of players are grabbing the headlines but Jermaine McGillvary, now Super League’s top try scorer with 25, is continuing to apply the pressure on Steve McNamara when it comes to England selection for the series against New Zealand later this year.
Four more tries against a below-par Warrington strengthened those growing calls for McNamara to pick the uncapped wing and, if he helps guide Huddersfield to a first Grand Final appearance next month, he will surely be in the mix along with more experienced names such as Ryan Hall and Josh Charnley.
With nothing left to play for in 2015 themselves, Warrington were as abject and lifeless as many perhaps expected. They offered very little in attack in the first half, when McGillvary’s first two tries and one for his opposite wing, Aaron Murphy, put the Giants into an 18-0 lead they never looked like surrendering.
The interval did not halt Huddersfield or McGillvary’s momentum and it took only three minutes of the second half for him to complete his hat-trick, benefiting from a fine pass from Leroy Cudjoe to score number three.
Warrington at least threatened to make a contest of it with tries from Ben Westwood and Roy Asotasi but, when Murphy completed his hat-trick with two more tries and McGillvary grabbed his fourth, the Giants killed off any brief hope of a grand comeback. There was still time for Jamie Ellis to add further icing on the cake and strengthen Huddersfield’s points difference with another try which, with the top four so congested and all four spots still up for grabs, could prove crucial over the next two weeks.
Huddersfield Grix; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Connor, Murphy; Brough, Ellis; Crabtree, Robinson, Huby, Wardle, Hughes, Ta’ai. Interchange Lawrence, Kopczak, Leeming, Smith.
Tries Murphy 3, McGillvary 4, Wardle, Ellis. Goals Brough 3, Ellis 3.
Warrington Johnson; Penny, Wheeler, Atkins, Monaghan; Ratchford, Sandow; Hill, Clark, Asotasi, Westwood, Currie, King. Interchange Sims, Harrison, Wilde, Dwyer.
Tries Westwood, Asotasi. Goal Sandow.
Referee J Child. Attendance 5,563
