Huddersfield Giants boss “proud” despite Leeds Rhinos defeat as winless run continues

Luke Robinson admitted to a “surreal” emotion after Huddersfield Giants’ eighth defeat in as many league matches.

Giants remain rooted to the foot of the Betfred Super League table following a 28-6 loss at Leeds Rhinos, but Huddersfield head coach Robinson took positives from the way his injury-ravaged side battled.

Despite losing Liam Sutcliffe with what could be a long-term groin issue, Giants trailed only 6-0 at the break and, though Leeds eased clear in the second period, they stuck at it and grabbed the game’s final try.

“My overall emotion is quite proud,” Robinson said. “That’s a surreal thing for a coach who’s lost 28-6, but I am really proud of the effort and desire the lads put in.

“We had two 18-year-old academy lads [Jacob Algar and Archie Sykes] making their debut, which is great for the club in the long-run.

“It’s probably not great in the short-term, throwing them in at the same time, but I thought they were great.

“They are both tough, they are my type of players – no nonsense, get stuck in. They do like to mix it.”

He added: “I also thought the older lads put in a good shift for the younger lads. I think Leeds completed at 95 per cent in the first half and 33 played the balls in our 20 and we withstood it over and over again.

“We only conceded off a forward pass offload when they caught up through the middle and to only be 6-0 down was a gallant effort, I thought the effort was unbelievable.

“Defensively, we were on it, but it doesn’t matter how good you are, if you defend that much and put that much effort in it is going to come back in the second half and bite you – and it did.”

Huddersfield Giants boss gives injury update amidst “naive” verdict

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Robinson felt the last play of the game typified Giants’ spirit. He recalled: “We couldn’t win the game, they were offloading, throwing it over their shoulder, round the back, through their legs and we just kept turning up and working really hard until we got the ball back. That shows where they are as a group.”

The coach conceded his team were “very naive” in the first half, but insisted: “That comes with experience.

“We’ve got [Jacob] Gagai playing six, who’s a full-back/wing and George Flanagan, who is predominantly a full-back, playing in the halves.

“If we are a bit naive in what we are doing, it’s understandable. But if we keep putting that same effort and desire in, when we start getting some troops and pivotal players back, a win won’t be far away.”

Sutcliffe was in severe pain after the game and has potentially torn his groin off the bone and Aidan McGowan picked up an ankle injury.

“I am not sure on the prognosis, but that doesn’t look good either,” Robinson said of McGowan.

“My sister sent me a team of Huddersfield Giants players who aren’t fit and it was a really good team.”

Matty English and Kieran Rush could return for next week’s visit of Castleford Tigers, but Robinson stressed: “We don’t want to rush players back too quickly if they’ve been missing for a while and risk losing them again, but Zac Woolford and Adam Clune aren’t too far away either. Players of that stature, when they come back in the side it will be a real big boost for us.

“George King is another one who’s probably only a couple of weeks away so they are coming back in dribs and drabs, which is good.”