Castleford Tigers ruthlessly expose Huddersfield Giants’ faults

HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 12 CASTLEFORD TIGERS 30
JACOB KILBRIDE, John Smith’s Stadium, Saturday

FOR Huddersfield supporters, the sense of worry at their start to 2025 must surely be heading to a feeling of panic.

The visit of fellow cut-adrift bottom-three outfit Castleford seemingly provided them with the opportune time to break their winless streak.

Yet for the Tigers to run as such convincing winners, for only the second time this year, and to have sewn up the two points with 20 minutes to spare can only be a further source of anxiety for the Giants.

Huddersfield’s injury crisis of course should be accounted for, with at least nine potential starters out of action even after a batch of returnees here.

Not that that is of concern to Castleford, who keenly capitalised on their opponents’ subsequent deficiencies down their right edge, peppering winger Connor Carr all afternoon.

For the opening try, Rowan Milnes kicked high down the short-side before the towering Sam Wood leapt tallest to offload into the hands of Innes Senior who dived in at the left corner.

Huddersfield’s counter-attack was rapidly delivered. Adam Swift broke through a couple of tackles deep in his own half to give Jacob Gagai a breakaway 60-metre try, converted by George Flanagan, though that 6-4 lead was as good as it got for the Giants.

Gagai soon turned from hero to villain as Milnes launched a lofty bomb that went straight through the mitts of the fullback.

The Tigers then won a repeat set, handing them the field position for a smart scrum play as Tex Hoy rode the tackle of Swift before sending Josh Simm in at the right edge.

It was the Castleford left flank though that Huddersfield simply could not handle. Daejarn Asi was the latest to stand up a kick and Alex Mellor had the simple task of outjumping and finishing past Carr.

Huddersfield appeared to have been handed a lifeline back into the contest when Joe Westerman was sin-binned for a high shot on Matty English.

But a rushed second-phase play concluding in Kieran Rush kicking deep into the in-goal was all the hosts could muster in attack thereafter.

Castleford gratefully accepted the opportunity to go for two late in the first half, Milnes adding the points for a two-score lead at the break.

The visitors needed just six second-half minutes to further that advantage. A pin-point 20/40 kick from the exceptional Judah Rimbu set the platform for Asi to send a floated cut-out pass into the arms of Senior to dot down.

A fifth Castleford try soon followed on the hour, when Hoy found Milnes’ hard line to cut through Huddersfield’s static defence.

The try-scorer picked himself up to score the last of his four conversions from five attempts.

Huddersfield did at least manage to conjure a consolation try with a dozen minutes left; a route-one, brute-force carry from Oliver Wilson sent the front-rower crashing over the top of Hoy, with Flanagan again converting.

By this stage though, the damage inflicted by the Tigers had been well and truly done.

GAMESTAR: Danny McGuire’s decision to sacrifice a second hooker on the bench was thoroughly justified by a classy 80-minute display from Judah Rimbu, a constant dummy-half threat and a valuable third kicking option.

GAMEBREAKER: Judah Rimbu’s marvellous 20/40 kick provided the position for Deajarn Asi to give Innes Senior his brace and put Castleford into an unassailable three-score lead early in the second half.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Jacob Gagai’s breakaway try from inside his own half after a superb yardage-carry line break from Adam Swift was the game’s stand-out score, even if Huddersfield failed to build on it.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Judah Rimbu (Castleford)
2 pts Innes Senior (Castleford)
1 pt Joe Westerman (Castleford)

MATCHFACTS
GIANTS
1 Jacob Gagai
28 Connor Carr
4 Sam Halsall
3 Jake Bibby
2 Adam Swift
27 Kieran Rush
29 George Flanagan
10 Tom Burgess
14 Ashton Golding
8 Oliver Wilson
12 Sam Hewitt
17 Joe Greenwood
21 Leroy Cudjoe
Subs (all used)
9 Zac Woolford
15 Matty English
23 Taane Milne
30 Jack Bibby
18th man (not used)
25 Jack Billington
Also in 21-man squad
20 Elliot Wallis
– Archie Sykes
– Leo Ward

Tries: Gagai (8), Wilson (67)
Goals: Flanagan 2/2

TIGERS
1 Tex Hoy
5 Innes Senior
3 Zac Cini
4 Sam Wood
24 Josh Simm
6 Daejarn Asi
7 Rowan Milnes
41 Tom Amone (D)
14 Judah Rimbu
10 Jordan Dezaria
11 Jeremiah Simbiken
12 Alex Mellor
10 George Lawler
Subs (all used)
13 Joe Westerman
35 Dan Okoro
38 Brad Singleton
39 Hugo Salabio
18th man (not used)
9 Liam Horne
Also in 21-man squad
15 George Griffin
16 Cain Robb
20 Muizz Mustapha