Super League: Huddersfield Giants 42-24 Leigh Centurions
- Published
Ricky Leutele was one of the Giants' try-scorers
Betfred Super League |
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Huddersfield (22) 42 |
Tries: Senior 2, Cudjoe, Trout, Russell, Greenwood, Pryce, Leutele Goals: Russell 5 |
Leigh (12) 24 |
Tries: Whitbread, Thornley, Elliot 2, Stone Goals: Brierley 2 |
Huddersfield Giants signed off their Super League season with a high-scoring win over relegated Leigh Centurions.
Louis Senior scored twice, while Leroy Cudjoe, Owen Trout, Olly Russell, Joe Greenwood, Will Pryce and Ricky Leutele also crossed for Ian Watson's side.
Leigh showed they have no difficulty scoring points, with Brendan Elliot's double, and scores from Jai Whitbread, Iain Thornley and Sam Stone.
However, they return to the second tier after just two wins in 22 league games.
Ian Watson took over at Huddersfield having taken Salford to a Grand Final and a Challenge Cup final, but that was the culmination of several years' work - and his overhaul of the Giants will also take time to come to fruition.
There will be changes to personnel in the off-season, and this was the last game for several players such as Nathan Peats, Nate Peteru and Olly Ashall-Bott as the squad is tweaked.
Yet three wins from four at the back end of the campaign suggests a move in the right direction, and the continued progress of Pryce in the halves is a huge positive for Watson.
For Leigh, interim boss Kurt Haggerty has spoken of his desire to stay on beyond this season, but also touched upon this game being the last chance the squad would be together as one, with departures set to kick in with the regular season now complete.
Their Achilles' heel was so often defence, as it was against Huddersfield, as they conceded an average of nearly 40 points a game across the campaign.
Huddersfield head coach Ian Watson:
"The young lads have stepped up and played consistently over the last 10 games. I think we won six of our last 10 which would have given us a 60 percent win ratio.
"Had we done that from the start of the season we would be looking forward to play-off football. That's the lesson for us going forward. But what happened to this club this year needed to happen.
"It will put the club in a stronger position going forward with the amount of young guys playing.
"There is talent there. We just need to make sure we develop in the right way."
Leigh interim head coach Kurt Haggerty:
"I would like to think I have brought a style of rugby that is attractive to watch and positivity to a difficult situation.
"I understand the situation [regarding a new coach appointment]. Whatever decision the club makes it has got to be the right one. I know the club want to re-build and be competitive and get back in Super League.
"I have affection for Leigh and care about the club. I want to see it do well and be successful."
Huddersfield: Ashall-Bott; Senior, Leutele, Cudjoe, McGillvary; Cogger, Russell; Lawrence, McQueen, Jones, English, Peats, Wilson.
Interchanges: Trout, Peteru, Pryce, Greenwood.
Leigh: Brand; Elliot, Sa'u, Thornley, Logan; Ellis, Brierley; Bell, Stone, Hellewell, Sidlow, Hood, Whitbread.
Interchanges: Thompson, Gerrard, Butler, Ashworth.
Referee: Tom Grant (RFL)