Huddersfield Giants 36, Leigh Centurions 10 by Mike Hulme

JUST who can stop the Giants' march back into Super League? On this evidence, not Leigh.

Equally ominous for the other Grand Final contenders is Giants' coach Tony Smith assessment that his side only play 'OK'. If Huddersfield hit top form then they are going to be unstoppable.

Leigh, already without the suspended Adam Bristow and Vila Matautia, were further disrupted when they lost main play-makers John Duffy and Bobbie Goulding in the space of three first half minutes.

Duffy was carried off after damaging his hip and ribs as he chased a kick through and moments later Goulding joined him in hospital, badly concussed after an attempted crash tackle on Rob Roberts went wrong.

The Giants were ruthlessly clinical in everything they did while Leigh, without the direction from Duffy and Goulding, were below par.

"They executed better than us," Leigh coach Paul Terzis reflected. "We showed a lot of character but when you turn the ball over as cheaply as we did , then you've got problems.

"They made the most of our errors and we got punished."

Huddersfield's midfield trio of Steve McNamara, Stanley Gene and Chris Thorman were too good for Leigh on the day - all three crossing the line after mistakes by the Centurions.

Leigh had their own stand-out performers too in Paul Rowley, Willie Swann and sub John Hamilton but the side was let down by individual errors at crucial stages.

The first try came from a Leigh mistake, Oli Marns spilling McNamara's bomb and Gene scotting through to score after 17 minutes. McNamara added the extras.

When Dave Whittle fell off McNamara 15 metres out the Giants' skipper strolled through to score another.

Leigh's tough task became near impossible when Huddersfield posted a third try just before half time, Gene drilling a kick through for Marcus St Hilare to make it 16-0.

Eight minutes into the second half and the game was effectively over, scrum half Thorman twice touching down at the side of the posts.

Leigh's best spell came when they were 28-0 down. Jon Roper's interception helped set up the chance for Swann to force his way over and Rowley's cut out pass got Cardoza over in the corner.

But a McNamara penalty kept the Giants rolling forward and they had the final word when Graeme Hallas produced a brilliant pass to get sub Andy Rice over.

Leigh must now regroup and prepare for the Major Semi-Final against either Batley or Oldham at Hilton Park for the right to meet the Giants again in the Grand Final.