Giants
overwhelm Wolves

Giants overwhelm Wolves

Huddersfield moved to within two points of the play-off zone after condemning engage Super League rivals Warrington to a third straight defeat with a 38-22 victory.

Jon Sharp?s side followed their impressive 44-12 victory at in-form Wakefield last week with another resounding success to firmly reassert their play-off credentials.

By contrast, Warrington have now lost four of their last five games and the arrival of Australian superstar Andrew Johns next month cannot come soon enough for coach Paul Cullen.

The Wolves simply failed to cope with a rampant Huddersfield side who took less than two minutes to open the scoring during a blistering opening period.

Giants full-back Paul Reilly, back in the side after serving a three-match suspension, scampered through a gaping hole in the Warrington defence to cross the line following excellent go-forward from giant prop Wayne McDonald.

Chris Thorman converted to put Huddersfield 6-0 ahead before James Evans? superb midfield burst and offload found Brad Drew in support 25 metres out.

The Giants hooker, who was outstanding throughout, sprinted clear to cross the line and although Thorman failed to convert, the hosts were dominant.

And after Warrington stand off Chris Bridge made a hideous error, passing the ball straight into touch, Huddersfield claimed their third try.

Subsequent pressure on the Warrington line from Bridge?s error saw giant second row Eorl Crabtree crash over the line from Drew?s offload to put the Giants 14-0 ahead after just 13 minutes.

Thorman again failed to convert from a difficult angle before Warrington awoke from their slumber and hit back with a try midway through the opening period.

Great Britain Test centre Martin Gleeson collected the ball around 20 metres out and a typical side-step saw him dart through the Giants defence before crossing the line to gain his side some much-needed respite.

Bridge converted to reduce the arrears further but the pendulum immediately swung back towards the hosts.

A goal-line drop-out from Warrington invited inevitable pressure from Huddersfield and saw Crabtree take Stanley Gene?s offload to again storm over from close range for his second try.

This time Thorman did convert to extend the hosts? lead to 20-6 and, remarkably, they soon had their fifth try shortly after the half-hour mark.

Giants centre Chris Nero latched onto the impressive Drew?s neat grubber and grounded in the left-hand corner for a try converted by Thorman to send Huddersfield in at the break with a 26-6 advantage.

Cullen would doubtless have given his players a serious ear-bashing during the interval, but Huddersfield remained buoyant and claimed their sixth try of the game eight minutes after the restart.

Drew was again the orchestrator, his fine offload finding prop Jim Gannon, who looked to have spilt the ball before grounding, although the video referee awarded the try.

Thorman added the extras before Warrington hit back when Logan Swann grounded in the right corner after 55 minutes.

Warrington scrum-half Nathan Wood then reduced the arrears on the hour mark and Bridge converted successfully for the second time.

However, Huddersfield remained the more vibrant and after Jon Grayshon had an effort disallowed by the video referee, Nero completed his double.

The centre showed great pace to embark on a delightful 70-metre breakaway run before crossing the line, while Thorman kicked his fifth goal from seven attempts.

Bridge ensured that Warrington had the final say, however, claiming the final try of the game in the closing stages and adding the extras himself to bring some respectability to the scoreline.

Huddersfield: Reilly, O?Hare, Evans, Nero, Greenwood, Thorman, March, McDonald, Drew, Gannon, Crabtree, Smith, Gene. Replacements: S. Jones, Grayshon, White, Jackson.

Warrington: Grose, Fa?afili, M. Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Riley, Bridge, N. Wood, Leikvoll, Clarke, Hilton, Swann, Wainwright, Westwood. Replacements: M. Gleeson, P. Wood, Lima, Noone.

Huddersfield: (26) 38. Tries: Reilly, Drew, Crabtree 2, Nero 2, Gannon. Goals: Thorman 5.

Warrington: (6) 22. Tries: M. Gleeson, Swann, N. Wood, Bridge. Goals: Bridge 3.

Referee: Ashley Klein (London)

Att: 4,067

Thanks to www.superleague.co.uk for the above review