It was a poor display from the Black & Whites in their final home game of the season, going down 52-20 to Huddersfield.
The Giants ran in nine tries on a forgettable afternoon for Tony Smith’s side, including a hat-trick for Kevin Naiqama.
Team News
Smith made three changes to the side, with Jake Clifford, Liam Sutcliffe, and Harvey Barron all replacing Davy Litten, Brad Dwyer and Carlos Tuimavave – the latter who missed out due to head injury assessment protocols.
Adam Swift, Chris Satae and Andre Savelio all started alongside Clifford in their final home appearance, while Joe Lovodua and club icon Scott Taylor came off the bench for their run out at the MKM Stadium.
Jake Trueman (Achilles), Ligi Sao (knee), Ben McNamara (hand), and Mitieli Vulikijapani (knee) remain sidelined for Hull.
The Match
The Giants opened the scoring after just three minutes, making the most of two errors from the Black & Whites close to their own line, and earning the visitors some early field position. The ball was sent to the right edge at pace where Jermaine McGillvary went over with ease. Jake Connor converted.
Hull immediately hit back through through Tex Hoy, who gave a lovely show and go to slip through the Giants defence and under the sticks. Jake Clifford added the goal.
Andre Savelio was the creator for the second try, breaking through in FC’s half and racing towards the Giants line. Darnell McIntosh was in support on his right shoulder to finish the move.
Huddersfield hit the front when a powerful carry from prop Seb Ikahihifo saw him charge over the FC line. Connor’s kick made it a six point ball game.
Half-Time: Hull FC 14-16 Huddersfield Giants
Hull came out the blocks faster after the restart, with Harvey Barron coming close to getting over with a pacey downfield break, before being halter by Kevin Naiqama.
FC did hit back through when in his final club appearance at the MKM Stadium, Andre Savelio collected a sweet pass from Tex Hoy to power over. Hull trailed by two with Clifford’s missed kick.
But two tries in just four minutes from Kevin Naiqama began to take the game away from Hull, first chasing a grubber through the line, before then taking a Lolohea offload to get his second.
Matters got worse for Hull when Will Pryce chased a kick into the FC in-goal area and showed great pace to get to the ball from Huddersfield’s sixth try.
Pryce also got the Giants’s seventh as they began to run away the scoreline, breaking from within their own half to finish a long-distance move.
Naiqama had a twenty minute hat-trick when he touched down with a quarter of the game to play, as Connor made it seven from eight with the boot.
McGillvary collected a looped pass to get Huddersfield’s ninth in the corner.
Hull managed a consolation in the final minute as Taylor powered over on his final home appearance at the MKM Stadium, before knocking over the conversion.
Full-Time: Hull FC 20-52 Huddersfield Giants
Squads:
Hull FC: Darnell McIntosh, Adam Swift, Cam Scott, Liam Sutcliffe, Harvey Barron, Tex Hoy, Jake Clifford, Brad Fash, Danny Houghton, Chris Satae, Jordan Lane, Andre Savelio, Joe Cator.
Interchange: Joe Lovodua, Jack Brown, Scott Taylor, Nick Staveley
18th Man: Davy Litten
Huddersfield: Will Pryce, Sam Halsall, Esan Marsters, Kevin Naiqama, Jermaine McGillvary, Jake Connor, Tui Lolohea, Seb Ikahihifo, Adam Milner, Joe Greenwood, Sam Hewitt, Harvey Livett, Matty English
Interchange: Chris McQueen, Adam O’Brien, Oliver Wilson, Leroy Cudjoe
18th Man: Theo Fages
Scorers:
Hull FC Tries: Hoy (8), McIntosh (18), Savelio (46), Taylor (79)
Hull FC Goals: Clifford (1/3), Taylor (1/1)
Huddersfield Tries: McGillvary (3,76), Marsters (26), Ikahihifo (28), Naiqama (48, 52, 69), Pryce (58, 64)
Huddersfield Goals: Connor (8/9)
Attendance, in association with Garbutts: 10,451
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