Giants seal home playoff berth with Warrington win

Huddersfield Giants (32) 38

Tries: O'Brien, Jones, Lolohea, Cudjoe, Leutele, King, Pryce

Goals: Pryce (4)

Drop-Goals:

Warrington Wolves (10) 36

Tries: Dufty (4), Lynch, Wardle, Williams

Goals: Ratchford, Hayes (3)

Drop-Goals:

Huddersfield Giants: Lolohea; Cudjoe, King, Leutele, L. Senior; Russell, Pryce; Trout, O'Brien, Hill; Hewitt, Jones, English

Interchange: Levi, Greenwood, Ashworth, Yates

Warrington Wolves: Dufty, Lynch, Mata'utia, Wardle, Thewlis; Ratchford, Williams; Harrison, Walker, Bullock; Holroyd, Nicholson, Holmes

Interchange: Clark, Mulhearn, Thomas, Hayes

Huddersfield Giants and Warrington Wolves played out an entertaining game on Rugby League's birthday, with the Giants winning 38-36 at the John Smith's Stadium in the Betfred Super League. 

Huddersfield would go behind after just 30 seconds of play, with the Wolves executing a flowing move straight from the kick-off to score courtesy of Matthew Dufty under the posts. Ratchford converted to give the visitors the lead with just 120 seconds struck off the first half clock. 

It wouldn't take long for the Giants to avenge their opening play mistake, however, as two tries from Adam O'Brien and Josh Jones gave the Giants their first lead of the day after just ten minutes: O'Brien scoring with a typical short-range finish and Josh Jones dancing through the Wolves defence to score. The Giants would have another one three minutes later, as Tui Lolohea pounced on a spilt ball in the in-goal to increase the Giants lead. 

The Giants would continue their blitz of the Wolves in the 24th and 25th minute of the first half, as both flanks got in on the try scoring action. First the Giants put together a slick passing move on the right wing, finished by Leroy Cudjoe and converted by Will Pryce, then a lovely move released Louis Senior to slide a kick inside that was collected by Ricky Leutele for Huddersfield's fourth and fifth tries of the afternoon. 

Huddersfield would increase their tally in the first-stanza to six tries courtesy of Toby King, who collected a lofting cross-field ball from Olly Russell to score the Giants 28th point of the first half. Will Pryce would then hit his 3rd of the afternoon to bring up the 30-point mark. 

Warrington would get back on the board for the first time since the opening minute a minute later, as Peter Mata'utia would benefit from a lucky bounce to score in the right-hand corner, Ratchford would dispatch his second conversion of the game to cut the deficit to 20 points. 

As the two sides came out for the second half, it was imperative for Warrington to get on the board first, and the Wolves would score through Jake Wardle on the left flank, as Ratchford left a kick hanging in the in-goal for the centre to pounce upon. Ratchford hit his second conversion of the day and the Giants lead was cut to 16 points. They would make it two in as many minutes through Dufty, who scored his second of the afternoon to cut the Giants lead to just 10 points after Stef Ratchford kicked his third conversion of the day. 

Will Pryce scored to further the Giants lead and make the result slightly more comfortable, but the visitors would score a couple of late tries to bring the game to a close finish, with the Wolves scoring two late tries, but the Giants continued their good home form to make it six consecutive wins on the bounce and booked a home playoff berth for the Betfred Super League playoffs.