YEP rugby league writer Peter Smith reflects on Hunslet RLFC's Challenge Cup loss to Huddersfield Giants and Castleford Tigers' exit against Bradford Bulls.
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00:00We've just watched Unslut give a very good account of themselves, certainly for 40 minutes
00:06against Hutsfield Giants here at the coldest place on earth, otherwise known as South Leeds
00:11Stadium. Unslut newly promoted to the Championship this year after finishing fourth in League
00:181 in 2024 and going up through the playoffs. They're a decent team, I think. I think they'll
00:24do okay at Championship level. They're up against some very strong opposition teams
00:28like Bradford Bulls and Toulouse and Featherston, who have greater resources. But Unslut are
00:34a well-organised side under coach Dean Muir. They like to play rugby. Perhaps today they
00:39tried to play a little bit too much of it, but they've got some good players, the likes
00:42of Greg Eden, Kevin Leroyer, young Noah Booth, who's just joined Hull KR from Wakefield and
00:50is on loan for the season. They took an early lead against Huddersfield, only 12-6 down
00:56at half-time. In the second half, though, the Super League side's greater fitness tolled
01:01and Unslut just couldn't get out of their own territory. I don't think they got over halfway
01:05in the entire half. They started making mistakes and Huddersfield had enough possession to punish
01:11those and ended up comfortable 34-6 winners. An injury to Kieran Rush, their half-back,
01:19will be a concern. They've already got several half-backs out on the casualty list at the moment.
01:26Huddersfield weren't particularly impressive. They're going to have to improve an awful lot
01:29when the Super League season starts, or they'll be in for another long year. So that's the
01:34Challenge Cup third round over and done with. Just one shock, Castleford Tigers bowing out
01:40at Bradford Bulls, went 17-0 down, staged a decent second half comeback, but were beaten by two
01:46points. Disappointing start to Danny Maguire's reign there as coach and Castleford, like Huddersfield,
01:53look like they're going to need a big improvement to do anything in Super League this year, but
01:58possibly good times ahead for Huddersfield. I think they're a team worth, sorry for Unslut,
02:03I think they're a team worth watching. So if you get a chance to pop down to
02:06South Leeds Stadium, they will play an entertaining brand of football.