Super League 2023 Season Review: Huddersfield Giants

Super League: 9th (P27 W11 L16 F473 A552 PD-79 Pts22); Challenge Cup: Round 6

THE HOPE

After finishing third in the Super League table in 2022, while coming within three minutes of winning the Challenge Cup, confidence was higher than ever at Huddersfield and so were the pundits’ predictions, with some betting on them finishing top of the tree thanks to a signing spree that included Kevin Naiqama and Jake Connor.

THE REALITY

Instead of taking the final step to glory, Huddersfield took a big step backwards.

The early signs weren’t all bad, a string of narrow defeats in attritional games suggesting they had it in them to rise up the table once Connor settled into his groove following a pre-season injury.

But in the middle of the season, the Giants collapsed. A run of eight defeats in nine across all competitions – the sole victory against an even poorer Castleford – was highlighted by a 54-0 embarrassment at Leeds, and the job of Ian Watson, who had so impressively brought improvement in 2022, looked untenable.

But the Huddersfield hierarchy kept faith in the coach and were rewarded as the most unlikely of wins, away at high-flying Catalans, began a four-match winning run that even raised hopes of making the play-offs.

Alas, it could not be sustained, with five defeats in the last seven a reminder that all was not fixed.

Watson admitted his own failings as the team struggled to stick to his much-vaunted processes, while the wealth of creative talent in the squad proved a significant weakness as he struggled to ever settle on his best spine.

Overall, the season was a major blip for a team that now has lofty ambitions, and one that can’t happen again.

BEST PLAYERS

The signing of Kevin Naiqama was hailed as a game-changer for a club eager to progress from being challengers to winners, and although they failed in that regard the Fijian was still an impressive performer.

Naiqama was their top try-scorer with 14 tries, while the centre also contributed with his valuable strike threat from back field.

Indeed, it was a season when the golden oldies shone brightest. Chris McQueen was another to do so, his work-rate invaluable in the second row.

McQueen also chipped in with some highlight-reel moments, including scoring twelve tries, in his final campaign before retiring as one of the Giants’ best overseas imports.

Luke Yates also stood tall in tough times and good, the only player in Super League to break four figures for tackles by making 1,027 in total.

His game has gone to another level since being named as club captain ahead of the 2022 season, and the loose-forward will be their foundation in 2024 as well.

IN QUOTES

“It is undoubtedly the strongest squad I’ve seen during my time at the club. We had a good squad last year and have certainly had some excellent squads in the past, but we have definitely never had a stronger squad in my 27-year involvement with Huddersfield Giants.” Owner Ken Davy ramped up the pressure ahead of the start of the season.

“I’ll get it right. It’s not going to be nice but I’ll get it right. I know what I want to do and what I want to achieve. There’ll be some casualties on the back end of that but I’ll die on my sword.” Ian Watson was in defiant mood after Huddersfield’s 54-0 defeat at Leeds.

“I’m gutted. It’s my hometown club, I live here, and I’ll still live here. I grew up here as a player, and became the player I was here. It has left a bit of a sour taste how it’s ended… I was expecting either to get a deal or to be sat down somewhere in an office and thanked for my time. No one shook my hand and said ‘you’ve done well’ or ‘you’ve helped the club’. To get the news as a phone call after 16 years of my life dedicated to Huddersfield, and to only get the call because of a presentation evening where they were going to release that I was retiring, I think it’s a bit s*it. It was quite embarrassing actually, telling my family how I found out.” Jermaine McGillvary was angry with the way he was told he would be released by Huddersfield.

IN NUMBERS

9 – different halfback combinations used by Huddersfield this season, including six in their first seven games.

209 – tries in 312 Giants appearances for the departing Jermaine McGillvary.

36 – age of Chris McQueen upon retirement, despite which he was the only Huddersfield player to feature in every Super League game in 2023.

HIGHLIGHT

Few results have come out of the blue in Super League this year like Huddersfield’s 22-14 win at Catalans in July.

The Dragons were top of the table after winning their last seven and had lost once at home all year, but were stunned by the ailing Giants.

Chris McQueen was the star of the show and, after Kevin Naiqama’s opener, scored two of Huddersfield’s three tries, including the crucial one on the hour mark when the scores were level, while Oliver Russell kicked five goals.

LOWLIGHT

Huddersfield hit their nadir in June with a 54-0 thrashing at the hands of Leeds on a miserable night at Headingley.

Rob Burrow’s presence made it an emotional night for the Rhinos and while they rose to the occasion, scoring nine tries, the Giants simply froze.

“It was a terrible beginning, a terrible middle and a terrible end,” reflected coach Ian Watson, whose time seemed up after a seventh defeat in eight.

PICTURE OF THE SEASON

Huddersfield’s round-four home clash with Castleford went ahead despite heavy snowfall (above).