Jack Walker previews Friday night’s clash between Huddersfield Giants and Salford Red Devils. Here’s what we have to look forward to.
Venue: John Smiths’ Stadium
Kick-off: Friday 18th June 2021, 19:45 BST
Last Five Meetings
08/10/20 – Huddersfield Giants 16-24 Salford Red Devils
14/02/20 – Salford Red Devils 10-12 Huddersfield Giants
11/08/19 – Salford Red Devils 32-12 Huddersfield Giants
04/07/19 – Salford Red Devils 18-36 Huddersfield Giants
01/02/19 – Huddersfield Giants 14-34 Salford Red Devils
Team Lists
Match Preview
The RFL called off the Giants’ match last Friday after seven Huddersfield players tested positive for Covid-19, so it’s hard to tell whether the men in claret and gold will be well rested or rusty for Salford’s visit to the John Smiths’ Stadium.
It’s the first time that fans will be attendance for a Giants home game and the anticipation in West Yorkshire could hardly be higher.
Last time the two sides met, it was the Red Devils who came out on top – winning 16-24 thanks to Chris Atkin’s try on the half-hour mark, which was followed up by Krisnan Inu’s sensational hattrick.
It’s been sixteen months since last time Huddersfield beat Salford. It was a hard-hitting slugfest that was settled by just two points and the Giants came away with the win thanks to Aidan Sezer’s penalty just two minutes from time. It was a gift from heaven for the Yorkshiremen on Valentine’s Day.
The last five meetings between the two sides have been won alternately, so if form suggests a victor it will be Huddersfield who walk away from the AJ Bell Stadium with the two points – especially seen as Salford have lost seven games in a row. Two one-point defeats show that the Red Devils still have spirit, but the quality simply hasn’t been there so far in 2021.
The Giants may have been beaten 38-12 by Wakefield Trinity in their last match, but heavy back-to-back defeats – 40-4 at Hull Kingston Rovers and 18-62 to Wigan Warriors – signify the vast extent of Salford’s problems. They need to improve, but I don’t see them doing so in this one.
Prediction
Huddersfield by 10.
