Smith furious with fixture arrangements

Warrington head coach Tony Smith has blasted the decision to allow Huddersfield to rearrange their match against St Helens until next month.

While the Wolves and nine other Super League teams played their second double-header weekend of the season this week, the Giants were allowed to push their fixture forward.

With both teams recent elimination, Huddersfield and Saints will now play the Super League match on the same weekend as the Challenge Cup sixth round.

Huddersfield Town’s progression to the Championship play-off final, which was played yesterday, was another reason for the fixture amendment, something that has angered Smith.

“Huddersfield are breathing down our neck and to give them a huge advantage is ridiculous,” he said. “It almost penalises you for being successful in the Challenge Cup.

“We’ve copped a battering from two top teams and they’re putting their feet up in some Jacuzzi.”

Warrington travel to the John Smith’s Stadium on Sunday where they will take on a Giants outfit aided by the extra rest.

The Wolves, who suffered heavy defeats to Leeds and Salford this weekend, currently sit one place and two points above Rick Stone’s side but have now played a game more.

“To be fair in this competition, you can’t just pick and choose when you’re going to play teams and not play teams. It’s just crazy and unfair,” Smith blasted.

“That’s our competition, that’s our administration, it’s just where we’re at at the moment. We’ve got to get on with it.

“We’re going to dust ourselves off and go and do a job next week over at Huddersfield.”