Huddersfield Giants head coach Luke Robinson will be dreading the day he next comes up against Wigan Warriors’ Harry Smith. After seeing his side surrender a 10-point half-time lead to lose 30-10 at the Brick Community Stadium, Robinson was left to lament the impact Smith made in handing the Giants yet another Super League defeat.
Huddersfield scored two tries in the first 20 minutes in Wigan to stun the defending champions on their own turf. However, the Cherry and Whites put it together in the second half to score five tries and blow the Yorkshiremen away.
Christian Wade touched down on his debut before Jake Wardle scored a brace and Tyler Dupree and Junior Nsemba wrapped up what was a comfortable victory in the end.
Adam Keighran was the man selected as Sky Sports’ man of the match, with the centre stepping into the halves well in the absence of Jack Farrimond and Bevan French. But it was Smith who Robinson could be heard lauding, with his kicking game a joy to behold at times.
Smith only recorded one try assist, setting up Wardle with a inch-perfect cross-field kick, but his impact on the game was telling.
Huddersfield Giants boss picks out Wigan Warriors key man
“I don’t know who you gave man of the match to but every time I play against Harry Smith he kills us, he absolutely kills us,” Robinson told Sky Sports after the game. “The kicks that he puts in…
“In the second half when they get on the front foot we weren’t very good with the ball and I don’t care if you play against an understrength Wigan side or not, we set the foundations in the first half and we didn’t continue them in the second half.
“When you only complete at 50 per cent and they have Harry Smith, who literally can, well, he just strangles you. With the ball, every time we got an opportunity we made errors, George made one, Bibby made one.
“On that breakaway try, we should have stopped it and wrapped the ball up but you’re just hoping and praying that it doesn’t fall into anybody’s hands like Harry’s, you know it’s going to be a try. I just think every time we play him, we really struggle to deal with him.
“I’m really proud of the boys. I don’t think the end result depicts how the game was.”
.@WiganWarriorsRL welcomed @Giantsrl to their fortress on Friday Night 👀
Here are the highlights 👇#SuperLeague
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) July 12, 2025
