Huddersfield coach bemoans controversial Lachlan Walmsley try following Wakefield defeat

Huddersfield Giants boss Luke Robinson admitted Lachlan Walmsley’s controversial try during Sunday’s narrow 18-16 defeat to Wakefield Trinity ‘knocked the stuffing out of them’, but did not use it as an excuse.

The Giants trailed by just four points with 55 minutes on the clock when Wakefield winger Walmsley strolled in to dot the ball down in apologetic fashion, appearing to have knocked the ball on in gathering it.

Walmsley had got his fingertips to Taane Milne’s pass, which then struck his foot and allowed him to gather to race onto the try-line.

Just as most in the stadium and watching live thought, referee Jack Smith did not think it was a legitimate four-pointer, and sent it for review as a ‘no try’.

But video referee James Vella saw it fit to overturn that call, giving a try as the kick to keep the ball from the floor was deemed an intentional movement and enough to constitute a ‘change of gait’ from the Australia-born Scotland international.

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Huddersfield coach bemoans controversial Lachlan Walmsley try following Wakefield defeat

That try from Walmsley saw Wakefield extend their lead to 12-4, and in a game which ended with just a two-point deficit, had a big influence in the outcome.

While he did not want to use the decision to award it as an excuse outright, Huddersfield head coach Robinson did allude to it post-match.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “If I’m honest, that Lachlan Walmsley try knocked the stuffing out of us a little bit because even he didn’t think he’d scored it.

“The way he put the ball down and threw it straight back to George (Flanagan Jr for the restart), I don’t think he thought he’d scored it!

“When it’s not going your way, it’s not going your way, but the fight and effort from the lads, but hopefully it was a decent game everyone who came today to watch.

“The club did a great job of bringing a big crowd in, and it was heartbreak at the end. It’s really unfortunate.”

The Giants have not lost two from two at the start of the new Super League season, and travel to a Castleford Tigers side which have also suffered back-to-back defeats next weekend.

Robinson continued: “We don’t want to harp on too much, but we’re missing some senior blokes again, which we’re pretty much used to now.

“They all had a real dig today and all tried their hardest, put a lot of effort in. There were just a couple of key moments in the game where you’ve got to nail them, and we didn’t.

“The fightback, the desire they showed and not giving in til the very end is definitely something we can definitely work from for the rest of the season.”