Sezer and Wardle inspire Giants to victory
McGILLVARY GRABS HAT- TRICK AS CASTLEFORD FINISH UP EMPTY- HANDED
A HAT- TRICK from Jermaine McGillvary sealed a remarkable win for Huddersfield Giants last night as interim head coach Luke Robinson continued his excellent start in the job.
Having only taken over last week, he ended a long losing run with victory over Wakefield Trinity and followed up with this stunning success.
Castleford were 19- 12 up approaching the hour mark but imploded towards the end and could not cope with the dual threat of brilliant Australian playmaker Aidan Sezer and the dashing threat of young English centre Jake Wardle.
It rounded off an excellent trio of Super League games at Warrington Wolves’ Halliwell Jones Stadium and bring some light relief, too.
As with all sports, difficulties are mounting off the pitch.
Hull FC owner Adam Pearson said yesterday it would “be an Armageddon” for rugby league clubs if crowds continued to be kept out of grounds until March and there was no further financial aid from Government.
After witnessing last night’s error- strewn 28- 22 defeat against Salford Red Devils, his misfiring club’s hopes of reaching the topf0ur certainly looked like they had been hit by a meteorite.
With all this talk of the end of the world, Toronto Wolfpack should find out today if their Super League days are ended or not.
Having pulled out in July due to financial issues, they hope to earn a reprieve for 2021 under new ownership when rival clubs meet to discuss their bid for reapplication this morning.
Wakefield Trinity revealed yesterday they are contemplating having a self- imposed fiveday lockdown to enable them to “deep- clean” their facilities after they received a positive Covid test for a third week.
Two players tested positive and coach Chris Chester says a
further eight players will miss tonight’s game against Wigan Warriors for track and trace reasons.
Leeds Rhinos started things off yesterday with a 41- 16 win over Hull KR which leaves them handilyplaced in the top four and just 80 minutes from Wembley.
After Hull spluttered, Castleford and Huddersfield rounded the triumvirate of fixtures with this absorbing Yorkshire derby.
Tigers started well, opening up a 10- 0 lead inside just 11 minutes.
A Mike McMeeken offload unleashed Gareth O’Brien, who did wonderfully well to round Huddersfield full- back Ashton Golding and score, converting himself.
Next, Jesse Sene- Lefao, burst through with a marauding run. That set up position for Greg Eden to score, courtesy of excellent interplay from Paul McShane and Nathan Massey.
But Sezer – the ‘ marquee’ signing from Canberra Raiders – began his masterclass, darting behind the ruck before producing a brilliant long pass to send McGillvary in for his first.
Sezer improved and, by the 22nd minute, had put his side 12- 10 ahead after converting a brilliant team try finished off by Wardle’s dazzling run infield.
Castleford – without three injured half- backs – responded
well, though, and after Calum Turner’s break, Chris McQueen was penalised allowing O’Brien to level in the 37th minute.
O’Brien’s drop- goal put them 13- 12 ahead and they seemed to have taken control when Eden picked up Turner’s off- cue kick at the start of the second half and set off on a weaving run before exchanging
passes with McMeeken to give Jack Sanderson, 21, a debut try. O’Brien missed the conversion attempt but added a penalty to leave them 19- 12 ahead.
Nevertheless, they imploded on the hour mark with experienced Australian centre Cheyse Blair making an awful error.
He fumbled Turner’s pass 30m out but dallied, showing his frustrations, rather than securing the loose ball. Wardle seized his opportunity, to pick up and sprint 50m downfield.
James Clare hauled him down but, in stark contrast, some precision passing from Giants saw Leroy Cudjoe feed McGillvary for his second. Sezer improved from wide out and then levelled with a 67th- minute drop goal.
And they scored in the next set, too, Wardle once more doing the damage before slipping inside for Sezer to cross before McGillvary finished off in the final seconds after another Wardle break and fine Jordan Turner kick. Castleford Tigers: Clare; Sanderson, Blair, Shenton, Eden; O’Brien, Turner; Watts, McShane, Griffin, Sene- Lefao, McMeeken, Massey. Substitutes: Millington, O’Neill, Hepi, Fleming.
Huddersfield Giants: Golding; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Jake Wardle, McIntosh; Turner, Sezer; Wilson, Holmes, Matagi, Edwards, McQueen, Lawrence. Substitutes: Russell, Wood, Trout, Gavet.
Referee: