The Huddersfield Giants had their hearts set on sixth spot as they travelled the short distance to take on Wakefield Trinity who were in the market for their second win of the season after a great win ove Hull KR last time out.
The Giants were the favourites to get the win with the bookies, having being given an eight point handicap on the coupon, as they looked to go sixth by overtaking the Castleford Tigers on the league ladder after their Friday night massacre at the hands of the Leeds Rhinos.
These West Yorkshire derbies are often tetchy affairs for which the form book can be torn up and tossed aside, it was an intriguing battle in prospect.
Liam Kay got Trinity off to the perfect start with an acrobatic finish down the left as he took a long ball and evaded the determined tackle Jermaine McGillvary. Mason Lino added the touchline conversion for a 6-0 lead.
Jacob Miller saw yellow for a high shot on Aidan Sezer as the Giants player made a break for the line after going past Lino. Two plays later and the Giants appeared to have scored but the referee ruled it out for a forward pass.
Trinity extended their lead on twenty as Kelepi Tanginoa manufactured a way to the line, crashing over the line from close range under the sticks to give Lino a simple conversion for a 12-0 lead.
It was all way too easy for Wakefield when Jay Pitts went in on the half hour mark as he took a mercurial Westerman pass to go in. Lino added the conversion for an 18-0 lead, the Giants not at the races.
The fourth try was scored at the hands of Joe Westerman who drove the ball in himself and scored past an ineffective Gianst defence as the two tacklers failed to stop him. Linos boot made it 24-0 after thirty-five minutes but Trinity weren’t done.
With seconds left on the clock Dave Fifita struggled from a tackle and offloaded the ball which ended up on the boot of Jowitt who kicked to the corner for Bill Tupo to collect and ground. Lino added the conversion to crown a sensation first half for the home side against a lacklustre and out of sorts Giants.
Bill Tupou thought he’d got his second of the game on fifty-six, but the try was ruled out for a knock-on in the build-up.
Jermaine McGillvary had a try ruled out for a forward pass just after the hour mark as the Giants were now struggling to avoid the nilling.
A length of the field try from Wakefield saw the ball end up in the hands of Liam Kay to dot down for his second. Lino hit the crossbar to fail with the conversion attempt, Trinity into a 34-0 lead.
It was 38-0 on seventy-three when another length of the field Wakefield pass saw Lino pick up a loose pass and spring the length of the field to score. Jowitt missed the conversion but the Giants were a spent force.
The Giants got a consolation after good pressure when Gavet took a Sezer pass to go over and save some embarrassment. Sezer added the conversion for 38-6 with ninety seconds left on the clock. Right on the final hooter Jake Wardle went in to bring up the double figures and when Sezer hit the target with his conversion it ended up 38-12.
This was a result who few would have dreamed of, let alone predicted, as Trinity demolished a Giants side who had no answers. Westerman controlled the game and had in hand in most of the tries while Lino was excellent with the boot to turn the fours into sixes. The Giants will quickly banish all thoughts of the game and put it down to having been a bad day in the office, looking to restart their season next time out and not get dragged into the relegation dogfight.
Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Kershaw, Lyne, Tupou (T), Kay (2T), Miller (SB on 15), Lino (T, 5G), Tanginoa (T), Walker, Arona, Pitts (T), Ashurst, Westerman (T). Subs: Fifita, Battye, Wood, Batchelor.
Huddersfield Giants: McIntosh, McGillvary, Wardle (T), Leutele, Cudjoe, Sezer (2G), Cogger, Greenwood, Cunningham, Gavet (T), Edwards, Jones, Lawrence. Subs: O’Brien, Trout, English, McQueen.
Half-Time: 30-0.
Full-Time: 38-6.
Referee: Rob Hicks.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 16-0, 18-0, 22-0, 24-0, 28-0, 30-0 : HT : 34-0, 38-0, 38-4, 38-6, 38-10, 38-12 : FT.
