Huddersfield will come back stronger next year, says coach Ian Watson

Correspondent

Huddersfield coach Ian Watson is confident they will be a stronger force in Super League next year thanks to a change in mentality which has contributed to their end-of-season flourish.

The Giants’ eight-try 42-24 win over relegated Leigh was their sixth in their final 10 matches as they brought the curtain down on the campaign with back-to-back victories.“I am gutted we are finishing, it feels like we have only just started,” said Watson after a ninth-placed finish.

“It was too individual at the beginning of the year. I have always built teams on team-first mentality, not on an individual basis.

“I expected things to maybe a bit easier with the transition, but I am really proud of where the group has come to now.

“We wanted to win as many games as we could at the back end of the year. We had gone back into a rebuild with everything that has happened in this year.

REPORT: Huddersfield 42-24 Leigh: Giants finish season on a high with win over relegated Centurions

“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.”

Meanwhile, Castleford have added Huddersfield forward Kenny Edwards to their squad for 2022 on a one-year loan deal.

Edwards, 32, will link up with new coach Lee Radford, moving across Yorkshire from Huddersfield.