Huddersfield’s Chris McQueen targets another final appearance
We’re watching what’s being said and the squads for Saturday’s second Betfred Super League play-off eliminator between Huddersfield Giants and Salford Red Devils, live on Sky Sports…
Grand Final win can soften Cup final blow for McQueen
Chris McQueen was one of Huddersfield’s standout players in 2022, but the Dream Team member admits he’s still haunted by their defeat in the Betfred Challenge Cup final.
Second-row performances in helping the Giants finish third in the Super League and secure the home advantage for Saturday’s play-off against Salford earned them one of two second-row places in the team of the season.
Huddersfield Giants vs Salford Red Devils
September 10, 2022, 12:30 p.m.
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McQueen was also voted winner of the Lance Todd Trophy for player of the match in the Challenge Cup final in May, but the shine was taken away by the 16-14 loss to Wigan and victory in the grand final would facilitate the pain for the former England international.
“I probably haven’t gotten over it yet,” McQueen said. “You move on, and you don’t necessarily think about it too much but, for the rest of my life, I will watch the Super League and I will watch the Challenge Cup and I will always remember the day we lost the Challenge Cup.
“If we could go on and win the Grand Final, that would soften the blow. It would never completely erase it, but it would soften the blow.”
Huddersfield have not won the league title since beating Wakefield Trinity 14-5 in the 1962 Championship final – which coincidentally came the year they also suffered defeat in the Challenge Cup final.
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Highlights from Huddersfield Giants’ golden point victory over Wakefield Trinity in the final round of the Betfred Super League regular season.
Should the Giants reach Old Trafford it would be the second time head coach Ian Watson has been involved in the showpiece game after guiding Saturday’s opponents Salford to the Grand Final in 2019.
“Things happen for a reason, don’t they?” Watson said he was paired with the Red Devils in the Eliminators. “We can’t worry about who we play, and we have to control what we can control – and that’s our own performance.
“Although it is Salford and there will be a lot of hype in and around it because of the ex-players we have from Salford and me being the ex-manager, we are now two different teams. It will all depend of what to do during the day.”
Red Devils ‘a group of best friends who play for each other’
After finishing 11th in 2021, few predicted at the start of this year that Salford would be among those battling for a place in the Grand Final when the Super League reached the play-off stage.
Paul Rowley guided Salford to the play-offs in his first season in charge
Yet after some see-saw performances in the first half of the year, a run of nine wins from 11 games propelled them into the top six and they are now two wins away from a place at Old Trafford.
First-year head coach Paul Rowley attributed the turnaround in fortune to the culture that has been built at the club and praised his players for leading it.
“It’s the fruit of hard work and what we have is a group of best friends who play for each other, which is a powerful attribute for any team,” Rowley said.
“It’s authentic, it’s authentic and it’s a special group. We don’t want the journey to end, that’s for sure, and we don’t feel ready for it to end either. “
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Highlights of the Salford Red Devils’ 50-10 win over Castleford Tigers which secured a place in the Betfred Super League play-offs.
Salford’s impressive form in the second half of the Super League regular season included wins over defending champions and League Leaders’ Shield winners St Helens and this weekend’s play-off opponents.
But as far as Rowley is concerned, it’s a fresh start for the Red Devils as they aim to make another unlikely run at the showpiece occasion in the competition.
“We definitely have a spring in our step, and we understand that we’re on a reset,” Rowley said.
“We’re back to the underdogs like we were at the start of the season, but it’s a label that suits us and we’re going to do our best and try to upset the applecart again.”
Named squads
Huddersfield Giants: Will Pryce, Ricky Leutele, Ashton Golding, Tui Lolohea, Theo Fages, Chris Hill, Danny Levi, Chris McQueen, Josh Jones, Luke Yates, Matty English, Joe Greenwood, Owen Trout, Sebastine Ikahihifo, Adam O’Brien, Oliver Wilson, Leroy Cudjoe, Olly Russell, Innes Senior, Sam Hewitt, Toby King.
Salford Red Devils: Ryan Brierley, Ken Sio, Kallum Watkins, Tim Lafai, Joe Burgess, Brodie Croft, Marc Sneyd, Sitaleki Akauola, Andy Ackers, Shane Wright, James Greenwood, Elijah Taylor, King Vuniyayawa, Ryan Lannon, Chris Atkin, Jack Ormondroyd, Rhys Williams , Sam Luckley, Deon Cross, Alex Gerrard, Tyler Dupree.
Watch Huddersfield Giants take on Salford Red Devils for a place in the Super League play-off semi-finals on Saturday 10 September, live on Sky Sports Arena from 12.30pm (1pm kick-off).
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