Jake Bibby stepped in to help Huddersfield romp to another win and has no intention of stepping out again.
The powerful winger wasn’t initially in Ian Watson’s squad for Saturday’s Super League clash at Hull. But the ex-Wigan star grasped his chance, getting over for a try in the closing stages of another annihilation of Tony Smith’s humiliated hosts. A fortnight after scoring four tries in a 50-6 Challenge Cup destruction of Hull, fellow wideman Adam Swift took just 31 minutes to score another hat-trick.
But he finished in hospital with a minor eye socket fracture which means, having blasted 12 tries in just eight games since joining from FC, he's doubtful for Saturday’s Cup quarter-final at Catalans. Bibby said: “Hopefully it’s not too bad as Swifty’s in some great form. He’s been on fire for us. But there’s so much competition at the moment.
“That’s what you want. Iron sharpens iron and that’s shown this year with our squad depth. I wasn’t due to play but Sam Halsall pulled out in the captain’s run the day before. I just wanted to do my job like I did in the previous game.”
Bibby, 27, wasn’t picked by Ian Watson in any of the opening six fixtures until getting a shot against London. But versus Hull he doubled his season tally. Bibby joked: “They were being a bit greedy. Everything was going in down the left but I got swapped over and told them to get me a try as I needed one.
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“I’m two in two now which I’m happy with. I just want to play some good rugby and narrow down a spot. Winger, centre or even back-row, I’ll have a dig.”
Bibby arrived at Huddersfield from Wigan last year (Mark Cosgrove/News Images)Huddersfield were 40-10 up by half-time and cruising to a fourth league win. Tui Lolohea (2), Jack Murchie, Esan Marsters, Luke Yates and Kevin Naiqama all finished with tries as their hapless hosts suffered a fifth straight defeat. Hull’s woes could deepen today at the match review panel after Liga Sao was sin-binned TWICE and Jack Brown was also yellow carded.
But Huddersfield are concentrating on their Cup bid. Catalans will be a huge test given they went top of Super League with Saturday’s fiercely fought 14-8 win over St Helens. However, Bibby has experience of winning the Cup - after helping Wigan beat Huddersfield in the 2022 showpiece.
He said: “I know what feeling that’s like. It’s one of the best days of your life. That was against Huddersfield but I want to win it with them. All eyes are on it. The game’s live on the BBC and it should be a great Cup tie. Growing up I liked the Grand Final but my dad always talked about the Challenge Cup. Watto’s talking about how prestigious it is. We want silverware. We missed out completely last season.”
Under-pressure Hull chief Smith conceded: “We're hurting ourselves. Some of that is discipline, some is habits that need to be broken. But under pressure you tend to revert to what you've always done."
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