2011 Huddersfield Giants season

2011 Huddersfield Giants season
Super League XVI Rank 4th
Play-off result Preliminary Semi-final
Challenge Cup Quarter-finals
2011 record Wins: 18; Draws: 0; Losses: 12
Points scored For: 707; Against: 524
Team information
Chairman Ken Davy
Head coach Nathan Brown
Captain
Stadium Galpharm Stadium
Avg. Attend. 7,147
High. Attend. 10,428
Top scorers
Tries Jermaine McGillvary – 18
Goals Danny Brough – 88
Points Danny Brough – 213
< 2010 2012 >

The 2011 Huddersfield Giants season was their 148th in the Rugby Football League, and its 13th in Super League. This season saw the Fartowners finish in fourth place, which came as a disappointment, due to the nature of the season they had. The Claret and Gold were at top spot three times in the year, before a mid-season slump caused them to drop down the table, and finish fourth; the significant achievement was finishing above every other Yorkshire team.

Table

    		 Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
    1 Warrington Wolves 27 22 0 5 1072 401 671 44
    2 Wigan Warriors 27 20 3 4 852 432 420 43
    3 St Helens RLFC 27 17 3 7 782 515 267 37
    4 Huddersfield Giants 27 16 0 11 707 524 183 32
    5 Leeds Rhinos 27 15 1 11 757 603 154 31
    6 Catalans Dragons 27 15 1 11 689 626 63 31
    7 Hull Kingston Rovers 27 14 0 13 713 692 21 28
    8 Hull F.C. 27 13 1 13 718 569 149 27
    9 Castleford Tigers 27 12 2 13 664 808 -144 26
    10 Bradford Bulls 27 9 2 16 570 826 −256 20
    11 Salford City Reds 27 10 0 17 542 809 −267 20
    12 Harlequins 27 6 1 20 524 951 −427 13
    13 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats* 27 7 0 20 453 957 −504 10
    14 Crusaders* 27 6 0 21 527 857 −330 8
      Teams qualifying for the Play-offs
      Huddersfield

    Notes:

    Source: superleague.co.uk.
    Classification: 1st on competition points; 2nd on match points difference.
    Competition points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0.

    Pre-Season

    The Giants Started preseason with a 30–18 loss to Batley Bulldogs, then they came back to the Galpharm for Eorl Crabtree's testimonial match against Hull KR, an experimental side beat the Robins 18–12. They then faced their toughest test, against St Helens, winning against a relatively full-strength team.

    Competition Round Opponent Result Score Home/Away Venue
    Friendly Batley Loss 30–18 Away Mount Pleasant
    Friendly Hull KR Win 18–12 Home Galpharm Stadium
    Friendly St Helens Win Away Halton Stadium

    Season results

    Competition Round Opponent Result Score Home/Away Venue Attendance
    Super League XVI 1 Warrington Win 28–18 Neutral Millennium Stadium 30,329
    Super League XVI 2 Castleford Loss 18–12 Away Probitz Collesuem 5,992
    Super League XVI 3 Hull FC Win 20–10 Home Galpharm Stadium 8,822
    Super League XVI 4 Harlequins Win 18–10 Away The Stoop 2,624
    Super League XVI 5 Bradford Bulls Win 50–16 Home Galpharm Stadium 9,466
    Super League XVI 6 Wigan Warriors Loss 20–6 Home Galpharm Stadium 8,151
    Super League XVI 7 Hull KR Win 38–16 Away Craven Park 7,502
    Super League XVI 8 Wakefield Win 34–10 Home Galpharm Stadium 7,267
    Super League XVI 9 Warrington Win 29–10 Home Galpharm Stadium 7,224
    Super League XVI 10 Leeds Win 38–6 Home Headingley 14,768
    Super League XVI 11 Crusaders RL Loss 32–6 Away Racecourse Ground 3,008
    Super League XVI 12 Salford Win 52–22 Home Galpharm Stadium 6,042
    Super League XVI 13 Catalans Dragons Loss 13–12 Away Stade Gilbert Brutus 7,825
    Super League XVI 14 St Helens Win 40–18 Home Galpharm Stadium 7,843
    Super League XVI 15 Hull FC Win 34–20 Away KC Stadium 11,274
    Super League XVI 16 Castleford Win 40–18 Home* The Shay 5,237
    Super League XVI 17 Wakefield Loss 40–18 Away Belle Vue 5,436
    Super League XVI 18 Catalans Dragons Win 28–20 Home* The Shay 5,132
    Super League XVI 19 Wigan Loss 46–12 Away DW Stadium 19,169
    Super League XVI 20 Crusaders RL Win 40–12 Home* The Shay 4,892
    Super League XVI 21 Warrington Loss 28–16 Away Halliwell Jones Stadium 10,283
    Super League XVI 22 Bradford Loss 36–0 Away Odsal Stadium 14,047
    Super League XVI 23 Hull KR Win 46–26 Home Galpharm Stadium 4,892
    Super League XVI 24 St Helens Loss 19–6 Away Halton Stadium 6,421
    Super League XVI 25 Salford Loss 24–18 Away The Willows 3,458
    Super League XVI 26 Harlequins Won 50–12 Home Galpharm Stadium 5,220
    Super League XVI 27 Leeds Loss 31–24 Home Galpharm Stadium 10,428
    Super League Playoffs 1 Warrington Loss 47–0 Away Halliwell Jones Stadium 10,006
    Super League Playoffs 2 Leeds Loss 34–28 Home Galpharm Stadium 7,874

    Season review

    February 2011

    The First Match of the campaign was against title rivals Warrington Wolves who's signings included Joel Monaghan, and Giants Man of Steel and Captain, Brett Hodgson. The Match was a fitting opening for the Wolves, who were knocked out of the running for a historic double, by a length of the field effort from Leroy Cudjoe in the Play-offs. Huddersfield came out victors by 28–18. Then they travelled to Castleford, who were top of the table, in what was dubbed somewhat prematurely a 'Top of the Table' clash, a wet weather game slowed the Fartowners, who left Wheldon Road losers 12–18. In the first home game of the year, they faced Hull in front of the Huddersfield Crowd – after an early shock, they ran out 20–10 winners.

    March 2011

    The Giants started March with a hard trip down to in-form Harlequins who were in the midst of their best start in their history. After another scrappy affair, the Giants finished the game 18–10 winners. They returned to Yorkshire to face rivals Bradford Bulls at the Galpharm Stadium. In a rout, the Bulls were beaten 50–16, with tries from Jermaine McGillvary, Leroy Cudjoe, David Fa'alogo, Scott Grix, new signing Dale Ferguson, Graeme Horne and Larne Patrick and 7 goals from Danny Brough. In their biggest game yet, they faced an injury effected Wigan, however after an impressive performance from Josh Charnley and Sean O'Loughlin, they lost 20–6. After this defeat, they travelled to Craven Park to face Hull KR. After floodlight troubles threatened to harm the match, the visitors played some great Rugby, and won 38–16.

    April 2011

    The Claret and Gold started April hosting Wakefield Trinity, a spirited performance by Wakefield against a much changed Fartown team saw Wakefield scare them, only leading 6–4 at Half-Time. By the end of the match, they led 34–10. Then they hosted the Warrington Wolves again at the Galpharm, which after a superb performance, they ran out 29–10 winners. They then went to Headingley, searching for their first ever win there in the Super League era. Over 3,000 fans turned out to see a historic victory, a heated affair, with 2 sending offs, a fight, and six Huddersfield tries, the game finished 38–6, and marked a new era in Huddersfield Giants history. During the Easter Period, they started on a Tuesday night at home to Salford City Reds, where despite the visiting side showing some clever and pretty rugby, they ended the game with a 52–22, picking up the 2 points. They then travelled to the South of France to face an excellent Catalans Dragons side. After a Scott Dureau drop goal, the Giants unluckily lost 13–12.

    May 2011

    The Giants played just two Super League games during May. Returning for a Saturday Night 'Clash of the Titans' with St Helens, the Giants won 40–18 against the Injury ravaged Saints side. After which they returned to the KC Stadium, they played Hull FC on the same day as the 2011 League One Play-off Final, winning 34–20, with tries from Michael Lawrence, Danny Brough, Lee Gilmour and a hat trick from veteran winger David Hodgson.

    June 2011

    Huddersfield started June at The Shay, where the team would play until urgent pitch work would be completed at their home ground, The Galpharm Stadium, with a game versus the Castleford Tigers. The Tigers and the Giants both wore their predominantly white kit. The mix up was sorted when the Tigers wore a Halifax RLFC old shirt. The Giants ran in eight tries in a 40–18 rout in front of a crowd of over 5,000. They then travelled to Wakefield Trinity, where the home team upset the Top-4 Giants in a 13–10 win. At their second 'On the Road' game in Halifax, they beat Catalans 28–20 on Sky Television, the highlight of the match being a Damien Blanch try for the visitors. The Giants ended the month at Wigan in a match labelled 'The Big One' with a huge ticketing push from both teams attracted a 19,169 crowd to the DW Stadium, the Giants were outplayed, and Wigan won easily 46–12, with Hodgson and Kirmond getting the only tries.

    July 2011

    The Start of July was the end of the Giants time at The Shay, where the played Crusaders, in front of their smallest crowd of the year, 4,892. With 12 points to the Debuting Gregg McNally, the Giants beat the Bottom of the Table Crusaders 40–12. They then went to the Halliwell Jones Stadium to visit Warrington Wolves, who wanted revenge after losing the last 3 against the Giants, after being behind 22–0 at half time, found hard, but fell short. After this they faced what must be the most disappointing result of the year, a 36–0 humiliation by the Bradford Bulls. The Giants returned to the Galpharm Stadium with a homecoming victory, in the last game of July, they beat Hull KR and made 4th spot a little safer again.

    August 2011

    Pulling towards the 'Business End' of the Season, the Giants faced St. Helens in [Widnes]'s Halton Stadium, Saints temporary home. They outplayed the Giants, who never looked like threatening. In a close fought match, the Giants still lost out 19–6, Foster kicking 3. They then travelled to the Willows, expecting a victory, but in a disappointing turn of events, lost out 24–18. Huddersfield had won just 4 in 10.

    September 2011

    In the last two games pulling towards the play-offs, the Giants hosted two very different sides, Harlequins had looked good early on, but since the last time the two sides met, they had slumped, and would have been bottom, if not for points deductions to Wakefield Trinity and Crusaders. The Giants however pulled out all the stops, and hammered the enthusiastic, but ultimately unsuccessful Quins side. They then hosted Leeds Rhinos, in a match dubbed 'the Battle of Yorkshire', although Huddersfield had already secured 4th spot, ahead of the Loiners. In a tight affair, Leeds beat the confident Giants side, looking to do a double, by 7 points, 24–31.

    Play-offs

    In the first week of the play-offs, without Leroy Cudjoe, Shaun Lunt and Joe Wardle, the Giants were hammered by an excellent Warrington Wolves side, although the refereeing of Steve Ganson was called into question, with Nathan Brown, Huddersfield's coach, saying '[Ganson] obviously got the game wrong the other day'.[3] The Giants then hosted the Leeds Rhinos.

    2011 Squad

    No.PlayerAppsTriesGoalsDGsPoints
    1 Grix, ScottScott Grix 30 11 18 0 80
    2 Lawrence, MichaelMichael Lawrence 27 9 0 0 36
    3 Cudjoe, LeroyLeroy Cudjoe 30 9 5 0 46
    4 Gilmour, LeeLee Gilmour 28 5 0 0 20
    5 Hodgson, DavidDavid Hodgson 21 15 0 0 60
    6 Brown, KevinKevin Brown 28 9 0 0 36
    7 Brough, DannyDanny Brough 26 9 88 1 213
    8 Crabtree, EorlEorl Crabtree 30 4 0 0 16
    9 Robinson, LukeLuke Robinson 25 6 0 0 24
    10 Griffin, DarrellDarrell Griffin 27 4 0 0 16
    11 O'Donnell, LukeLuke O'Donnell 16 2 0 0 8
    12 Fa'alogo, DavidDavid Fa'alogo 19 8 0 0 32
    13 Faiumu, DavidDavid Faiumu 27 2 0 0 8
    14 Lunt, ShaunShaun Lunt 18 7 0 0 28
    15 Mason, KeithKeith Mason 19 0 0 0 0
    16 Raleigh, AndyAndy Raleigh 12 0 0 0 0
    17 Kirmond, DannyDanny Kirmond 18 2 0 0 8
    18 Patrick, LarneLarne Patrick 28 3 0 0 12
    19 Horne, GraemeGraeme Horne 20 8 0 0 32
    20 McGillvary, JermaineJermaine McGillvary 30 18 0 0 72
    22 Carlile, KealKeal Carlile 2 1 0 0 4
    23 Wood, KyleKyle Wood 8 0 0 0 0
    24 Walker, AdamAdam Walker 1 0 0 0 0
    26 Cording, JamieJamie Cording 5 1 0 0 4
    27 Fairbank, JacobJacob Fairbank 2 0 0 0 0
    28 McNally, GreggGregg McNally 1 0 6 0 12
    29 Wardle, JoeJoe Wardle 15 5 0 0 20
    32 Molloy, JonJon Molloy 3 0 0 0 0
    36 Simpson, JamieJamie Simpson 9 0 0 0 0
    37 Ferguson, DaleDale Ferguson 19 6 0 0 24

    Transfers

    In

    Player From Details Date Ref
    Matthew Sarsfield Wigan Warriors 3-year contract January 2011
    Jamie Simpson South Sydney Rabbitohs 3-year contract January 2011
    Dale Ferguson Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 3-year contract February 2011
    Greg Eden Castleford Tigers 2-year contract September 2011
    Luke George Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 2-year contract September 2011
    Tony Tonks Featherstone Rovers 12-month loan October 2011
    Aaron Murphy Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 2-year contract October 2011
    Tommy Lee Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 1-year contract October 2011

    Out

    Player To Details Date Ref
    David Hodgson Hull Kingston Rovers July 2011
    Keal Carlile Released September 2011
    Gregg McNally Released September 2011
    Andy Raleigh Wakefield Trinity Wildcats October 2011
    Danny Kirmond Wakefield Trinity Wildcats October 2011

    References

    1. ↑ "Super League club Crusaders deducted four points for going into administration". The Daily Telegraph. 10 December 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
    2. ↑ "RFL docks Wakefield Trinity Wildcats four points". BBC. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
    3. ↑ "BBC Sport - Rugby League - Huddersfield Giants 28-34 Leeds Rhinos". BBC News. 2011-09-23. Retrieved 2015-12-30.
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