Huddersfield Giants boss explains what he’s set to ‘preach’ to players after huge win

Huddersfield Giants head coach Luke Robinson has piled the praise on his side after their 30-12 win over Castleford Tigers, highlighting his side’s effort in defence early on as key to victory.

The Giants saw hooker Zac Woolford sent to the sin bin after just 43 seconds for his late shot on Joe Westerman and rather than fold, Huddersfield stepped up and even managed to score whilst at a man disadvantage.

Speaking post-match to Sky Sports, Robinson pointed to those efforts as the moments he knew his side would win just their third game of the Super League campaign.

“For me, it was about the first 10 minutes, when we got Zac Woolford sent to the sin bin. I thought that’s when you knew we were on,” he explained.

“That opening stanza of the game when we’re defending with 12 men. We defended gallantly then went away and had a breakaway try, and I thought, I just knew we were on from that moment.

“There’s always some little critiques I’m going to make within the side, but I just thought the effort and desire were great, and I thought we were deserving winners if I’m honest.”

Huddersfield Giants boss sends rallying call to players

Despite that early Tui Lolohea score and Sam Halsall’s making it 12-0, the Giants conceded two tries late in the first half to go into halftime at 12-12 and despite some concerns, the Huddersfield boss still felt his side had done more than enough to win.

“I’d be lying if I said not at all,” when asked if he was nervous after the Tigers’ quickfire scored.

“I genuinely thought that we’d done a lot of hard work before that. Even at half-time, I said to them, I think the hard work that you put in will pay dividends in the long run. I thought by the end of the game, we’d come away with it.

“I just thought we worked really, really hard in that first half, we drowned them for a lot and we limited the metres.”

Huddersfield were on the same turnaround as Castleford but they had made the trip back from France where they’d played in searing heat, however, the Giants stepped up to be counted in a hostile stadium and Robinson praised that.

The coach explained: “Cas have been playing really, really well of late as well. They should have beat Wigan, as we should have, but they were really good in that game, they’ve been building some momentum, so it’s never an easy place to come.

“The fans are on you, they’re very vocal, they’re on you, it’s an old-school stadium, so it’s always difficult. So to come here and get a win, I’m over the moon for the lads.”

That win takes them closer to Castleford but the Giants still sit in eleventh and with no fear of relegation on performance and no hopes of the play-offs, Robinson was asked how he gets his players going for the final ten rounds of the year.

“There’s always something to play for,” he declared.

“I just think any rugby league player that’s worth their salt, that has any pride in the self and the shirt, and for the family, then every time you step on the field, I know it’s about life and death, but it should feel like that.

“I’m going to preach that to the players and I’m in no doubt that they’re going to want to try and win as many games as they can, for the self, for the team, and for the loyal fans that we’ve got here, and for the owner that’s unbelievable for this club. There’s a lot of things we still want to play for this year.”

We don’t need no 𝙍𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡 📲#Since1895 | @womggroup🤝 pic.twitter.com/j03FvUDz53

— Huddersfield Giants 🐮🔔 (@Giantsrl) July 3, 2025