A clinical team performance, the Lewis Martin show a consolation and Hull FC v Huddersfield Giants talking points

Week 1 of round 20 saw Hull FC host Huddersfield Giants at MKM Stadium on Saturday afternoon, with both sides going into the game with opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to form.

Hull FC were looking for their third win in a row, with the Giants having lost their last two matches.

However, it was Huddersfield that played much better across the board and secured a 30-14 win in a solid team performance.

Following the team news, here were the main talking points for the match between Hull FC and Huddersfield Giants

Hull FC v Huddersfield Giants talking points

Giants took their chances, Hull did not

It simply was a case of Huddersfield taking the attacking chances that they had, compared to Hull FC. Hull arguably had more of the chances in Huddersfield’s red zone, yet converted just one of those chances into points. They also created a lot of their misery, with too many knock-ons, especially in key areas. The Giants just seemed to click the closer they got to Hull’s tryline and converted their chances into points.

Hull FC’s bogey team = Huddersfield Giants

For some reason, the Black and Whites seem to pull out some of their worst performances against the Giants. After their 12-10 loss at Magic Weekend, Hull just can’t seem to beat the Giants in 2025. Considering they currently sit four places above Huddersfield in the table, you’d think by today’s performance that it was the opposite. The Giants had plenty of fighting spirit, and Hull FC just made mistake after mistake.

A feisty affair

It was a pretty calm affair until the 50th minute, when Jed Cartwright and George Flanagan squared up to each other in a size mismatch. Tempers kept bubbling throughout the second half, with some tough hits about. Perhaps Hull’s tempers were mostly due to their frustrations with their inconsistency whenever they had the ball.

A solid team performance from Huddersfield

Considering the number of changes that Luke Robinson seems to have to make every week due to injuries, the Giants seem to be sticking together well. Today’s game was a solid team performance with nothing too flashy but more than good enough for the victory. The halfbacks combined well, the forwards got in some decent metres, and the outside backs carried the ball when needed. A completion rate of 90% was arguably the main decider between the two sides. Plenty of effort in defence too.

Jordan Rapana’s failed HIA

Whilst Rapana hasn’t been the Black and Whites’ best player in recent weeks, he would still be a miss. However, because of the way that round 20 is set up and Hull now having over two weeks off, he will be available to face Salford Red Devils on 10th August, unless he has any concussion complications.

The Lewis Martin show

If there was one highlight for Hull FC, it was hat-trick hero Lewis Martin. He was the only one who took his opportunities and tried to keep them in the game. He and Davy Litten combined well down the left, and if the club can keep them together, they’ve got a partnership that should last for years to come.

.@Giantsrl with an impress victory in Round 20 💪#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/tiF6WtWevq

— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) July 26, 2025