We're going after second place': Ian Watson makes Huddersfield Giants target clear ahead of Castleford Tigers test
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2022 5:03 pm
Ian Watson remains hopeful of snatching a top-two finish from Wigan Warriors' grasp - but he has warned Huddersfield Giants that they have no margin for error.
Huddersfield are three points behind the second-placed Warriors with four games of the Super League season remaining, meaning they need Matt Peet's side to slip up at least twice in the final two weeks.
The Giants face fellow top-six teams Castleford Tigers and Leeds Rhinos, while Wigan have home dates with St Helens and Catalans Dragons between now and the end of the regular campaign.
The carrot of a home semi-final and a week off will drive Huddersfield on over the next fortnight.
We've not given up on second place whatsoever," he said. "We're going after second place.
"That's the aim for everybody at the club. If we're going to pinch second, we're going to have to win them all.
The boys all know what it'll take now and that we've not quite been there over the last few weeks with the inconsistencies."
The Giants won six straight Super League games either side of the Challenge Cup final but have struggled to maintain those high standards.
After suffering a fourth defeat in seven matches at Salford Red Devils last weekend, Huddersfield saw Wigan go down to Wakefield Trinity to leave Watson rueing a missed opportunity.
"We would have been sat quite nicely one point behind Wigan now," he said.
"We would have pushed Catalans further away from us as well. They're the opportunities you're seeking and trying to achieve.
Salford played great and gave a top performance in that first half and rightly blew us away. We weren't at the races.
In the second half, we looked a lot more like ourselves but then as soon as we started to get into the game, we lost our composure."
Huddersfield's loss of form coincided with Ricky Leutele's absence but the powerful centre has been given the green light to return against Castleford in a major boost for the Giants.
"He will definitely play," said Watson, who added that Toby King will also feature.
"With the performance we showed in the first half last week, it's a no-brainer and he comes straight back in.
He looks good and looks ready, which is good because it means we're getting another one of our senior players back.
"Chris Hill came back last week and needed the run-out. I thought he was miles better in his second spell.
They're coming back at a good time for us."
The John Smith's Stadium date with Castleford is a second chance for Huddersfield to confirm a play-off spot.
Watson knows it will not be easy against the fifth-placed Tigers.
"They're going really well," he said.
They're a threat at the moment and they'll want to stay in the top six and have a shot at the play-offs.
"Likewise for us, we want to stay in or improve our position to make sure we're in a good position when the play-offs turn up.
"It's a huge game for both clubs."
https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/r ... st-3809642
Huddersfield are three points behind the second-placed Warriors with four games of the Super League season remaining, meaning they need Matt Peet's side to slip up at least twice in the final two weeks.
The Giants face fellow top-six teams Castleford Tigers and Leeds Rhinos, while Wigan have home dates with St Helens and Catalans Dragons between now and the end of the regular campaign.
The carrot of a home semi-final and a week off will drive Huddersfield on over the next fortnight.
We've not given up on second place whatsoever," he said. "We're going after second place.
"That's the aim for everybody at the club. If we're going to pinch second, we're going to have to win them all.
The boys all know what it'll take now and that we've not quite been there over the last few weeks with the inconsistencies."
The Giants won six straight Super League games either side of the Challenge Cup final but have struggled to maintain those high standards.
After suffering a fourth defeat in seven matches at Salford Red Devils last weekend, Huddersfield saw Wigan go down to Wakefield Trinity to leave Watson rueing a missed opportunity.
"We would have been sat quite nicely one point behind Wigan now," he said.
"We would have pushed Catalans further away from us as well. They're the opportunities you're seeking and trying to achieve.
Salford played great and gave a top performance in that first half and rightly blew us away. We weren't at the races.
In the second half, we looked a lot more like ourselves but then as soon as we started to get into the game, we lost our composure."
Huddersfield's loss of form coincided with Ricky Leutele's absence but the powerful centre has been given the green light to return against Castleford in a major boost for the Giants.
"He will definitely play," said Watson, who added that Toby King will also feature.
"With the performance we showed in the first half last week, it's a no-brainer and he comes straight back in.
He looks good and looks ready, which is good because it means we're getting another one of our senior players back.
"Chris Hill came back last week and needed the run-out. I thought he was miles better in his second spell.
They're coming back at a good time for us."
The John Smith's Stadium date with Castleford is a second chance for Huddersfield to confirm a play-off spot.
Watson knows it will not be easy against the fifth-placed Tigers.
"They're going really well," he said.
They're a threat at the moment and they'll want to stay in the top six and have a shot at the play-offs.
"Likewise for us, we want to stay in or improve our position to make sure we're in a good position when the play-offs turn up.
"It's a huge game for both clubs."
https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/r ... st-3809642
