Wakefield Trinity 6 Huddersfield Giants 29 - Giants looking sharp but Trinity lack cutting edge

LACK OF a cutting edge proved costly for Wakefield Trinity when Huddersfield Giants handed them a sixth-straight defeat since rugby league resumed last month.
Wakefield Trinity's try scorer Kelepi Tanginoa is stopped by the Huddersfield Giants defence. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.Wakefield Trinity's try scorer Kelepi Tanginoa is stopped by the Huddersfield Giants defence. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.
Wakefield Trinity's try scorer Kelepi Tanginoa is stopped by the Huddersfield Giants defence. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.

On balance of play, Giants weren’t 23 points better in the Thursday-afternoon clash, which was played at John Smith’s Stadium despite being a Trinity home fixture but, with caretaker-boss Luke Robinson in charge for the first time, their attack was much more effective.

Losing Liam Kay to a shoulder injury after just seven minutes didn’t help Wakefield, who had attacking opportunities, but displayed little creativity and crumbled when put under pressure near their own line.

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By contrast, Giants’ line defence was mostly a match for what Wakefield threw at it and, with Aidan Sezer calling the shots, they were much more clinical.

Huddersfield's Reiss Butterworth blocks the way for Ryan Hampshire, who converted Wakefield's only try of the match. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.Huddersfield's Reiss Butterworth blocks the way for Ryan Hampshire, who converted Wakefield's only try of the match. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.
Huddersfield's Reiss Butterworth blocks the way for Ryan Hampshire, who converted Wakefield's only try of the match. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.

Still missing Danny Brough and Jacob Miller, Wakefield continued with youngster Connor Bailey as their starting stand-off alongside Ryan Hampshire.

Bailey switched to the left-wing for a spell in the second half when Tony Gigot took over play-making duties.

Then Hampshire and Bailey swapped places, which was worth a try, but didn’t really improve matters.

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Trinity were within 11 minutes of being nilled for the third time in four Betfred Super League fixtures, but Kelepi Tanginoa’s try, improved by Hampshire, ensured they avoided that embarrassment, though at 29-6 it wasn’t much consolation.

Huddersfield's Leroy Cudjoe shapes up to shut out Wakefield's Tony Gigot.
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.Huddersfield's Leroy Cudjoe shapes up to shut out Wakefield's Tony Gigot.
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.
Huddersfield's Leroy Cudjoe shapes up to shut out Wakefield's Tony Gigot. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.

Giants looked comfortable from the 16th minute when recent addition Chris McQueen galloped over off a smart pass from Sezer who also landed a touchline conversion for the first of his four goals.

That came in the set after Trinity’s Joe Westerman was pulled down just short, but Giants had created the best early opportunity when Sezer sent Leroy Cudjoe into a gap, only for Jordan Turner to spill the inside pass with the line begging.

Sezer was again the architect when Giants doubled their lead at the start of the second quarter, putting Suaia Matagi through a gap close to the line.

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That came in the set from Giants’ penalty - their third in succession - and the opening try followed a six-again.

Wakefield's Liam Kay is closed down by 
Huddersfield's Aidan Sezer. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.Wakefield's Liam Kay is closed down by 
Huddersfield's Aidan Sezer. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.
Wakefield's Liam Kay is closed down by Huddersfield's Aidan Sezer. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.

In the final 10 minutes of the half Trinity received three penalties and a repeat set but, despite some threat from Westerman, Giants’ defence was too strong.

Two minutes before the break a knock-on by Jermaine McGillvary gave Wakefield an opportunity, but Gigot came up with a poor kick to give Huddersfield a seven-tackle set and, at the end of that, Turner landed a drop goal to leave Wakefield three scores adrift at 13-0.

That wasn’t insurmountable, but Giants scored the crucial first try following half-time, James Gavet crashing over from close range after Giants had conceded a penalty and set restart near their own line.

Trinity’s discipline let them down throughout.

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Sezer scored a fine solo try in the next set, collecting his own chip on the last after going down the blindside and when the half-back converted Jake Wardle’s try - which came from a kick by Darnell McIntosh - it was 29-0 with more than a quarter of the game remaining.

Trinity at least showed some defensive resolve in the final stages and footwork and power took the ever-reliable Tanginoa over to break Trinity’s duck.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Jones-Bishop, Lyne, Tupou, Kay, Bailey, Hampshire, Kopczak, J Wood, Battye, Pitts, Tanginoa, Westerman. Subs K Wood, Gigot, Navarrete, Crowther.

Huddersfield Giants: Golding, McGillvary, Cudjoe, Jake Wardle, McIntosh, Turner, Sezer, Wilson, Butterworth, Matagi, Edwards, McQueen, Lawrence. Subs Holmes, S Wood, Trout, Gavet.

Referee: Jack Smith (Warrington).

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