In-form Giants in mood for play-off success
Huddersfield Giants coach Nathan Brown believes his side have the confidence, the ability and the form needed to succeed in the 2010 Engage Super League play-offs.
A narrow 18-12 play-off victory over Crusaders RL last week set up an Elimination Semi-final at Warrington Wolves on Saturday for the Giants, who go into the tie as one of the competition’s form clubs.
Last Saturday’s win was the first time Huddersfield have tasted success in the play-offs and Brown insists the Giants, who have now won their last six matches, are hungry for more.
“It was important for the club as a whole to get the result against Crusaders,” said Brown. “It was the first finals game the club had won so it took a bit of the burden off the players backs. We were obviously very short priced favourites before the match to get the win so we were all relieved at the end.
“I think the team will be quite confident going into the game against Warrington, who will obviously be the raging hot favourites to win but we feel we’ve got the game to go there and cause an upset.
“When we’ve played against the top teams in the past we’ve handled ourselves very well so we have the belief.”
Huddersfield have been in fine form in recent weeks and are aiming to extend their winning sequence to a magnificent seven matches on Saturday night at Halliwell Jones Stadium (6.15).
“We’ve only lost one game in the last eight or nine weeks,” said Brown. “Fortunately for us we’ve got some momentum at the right stage of the season and our squads looking pretty fresh and pretty healthy so that’s good for us.
“There are six teams left in the competition and there are six teams who believe if they play well they can take the title and we are one of those.”
The game against Warrington will be a repeat of the 2009 Challenge Cup final and with the squad a year older and wiser, Brown is confident that experience will play it’s part on the road to glory.
“Our squad is quite experience,” said Brown, who himself appeared in three NRL Grand Finals during his playing days. “With our squad, most of the younger players have already played in Challenge Cup games, the final and been through the play-offs last year so they’ve all got their share of experience.
“We also have some some players who have a lot of finals experience, so between them all I’m sure they’ll manage themselves very well against Warrington.”
Victory on Saturday would see Huddersfield join Wigan Warriors or Hull Kingston Rovers as one of the clubs who could be selected by St Helens at the Club Call announcement the following day.
Tickets for the Engage Super League Elimination Semi-final, Warrington Wolves v Huddersfield Giants at Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington, on Saturday September 18 (6.15) cost from £17 (£11 concessions). Family tickets giving admission to two adults and two children cost £60. All tickets are available from the Ticket Office at Galpharm Stadium or by calling 01484 484123.
Tickets for the Engage Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford on Saturday October 2 are on sale through the RFL’s Ticket Office on 0844 856 1113 or by visiting www.rugbyleaguetickets.co.uk.