Huddersfield v Leeds at Lowerhouses

Veterans League

This Friday sees the Huddersfield Inter-District team playing their Leeds counterparts who remain in contention for this year's title. However their current second place and being 56 points behind the leaders, West Riding, although with a match in hand, makes them second favourites as things stand at present. Leeds know everything there is to know about winning this title being the 2025 Champions but this is a big ask for any team and having already lost to the West Riding team things are stacked against them at present.

They will not be expecting a massive challenge from a Huddersfield team enduring its worst Inter-District season for many years and have already lost to two teams below them in the table. This is a big step up to ask them to stop the roller-coaster ride that Leeds are on especially coming on the back of the humiliating defeat to Wakefield last time out.

I may be in a minority but I happen to think that the Lowerhouses '5-Crowns' home green is not a bad choice as it is so unpredictable and difficult to master that it gives the Huddersfield team a lottery of a chance of upsetting the odds. A better choice might have been the Meltham No.2 green where the Huddersfield team beat their Leeds opponents 17-11 last year but sometimes we ignore the lessons learnt. With last year's away team picking up 13 points at Thorner BC to complete a 30-26 victory, a result the 2026 formbook tells us is unlikely to recur this year.

The Huddersfield home team have chosen Lowerhouses for their match on Friday 7 August starting at 1 pm. The full team being: Peter Fuller, Martin Skuse, Ray Whitwam, Stephen Haigh, Graham Sigsworth (captain), Bob Dickinson, Andrew Wike and Rob Spencer. Reserve is Mick Chapman.

The away team travel to Harehills, Leeds LS9 6NE and the team is Malcolm Gilbert (captain), Garry Senior, Steve Haigh, Andy Lumb, Dave Pollard, Tim Poulter, Derek Hewitt and Steve Mallinson. Reserves are Ian Ross and Edwin Haigh.

FIXTURES

Friday 7 August Bradford v Aire & Wharfe Skipton v West Riding HUDDERSFIELD v Leeds Castleford v Wakefield Bye: Halifax

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