Huddersfield Giants were looking for a repeat of their Challenge Cup 2022 final appearance, they faced the tough proposition of a game against a Warrington Wolves side who lifted the trophy on their last appearance in a final back in 2019.

The bookies had made Warrington slight favourites for the win and to set up a Wembley final against the Wigan Warriors on the 8th June as they gave Huddersfield a six point start on the handicap coupon.

This was the sides first meeting of the season, Huddersfield trailing their opponents by six points in the league table, all likelihood was that this would be the Wolves afternoon in the sunshine in St Helens.

It was a try befitting a cup semi-final which put Warrington into the lead, Matty Ashton breaking down the right wing and with the ball through the hands of George Williams and Toby King before ending up with Drinkwater to finish from fifteen metres and score under the sticks. Josh Thewlis added the extras for a 6-0 lead with eight minutes on the clock.

On the kick off return the Wolves went in again, this time Ashton was the beneficiary as he went twenty metres to score off a Matt Dufty pass. Thewlis hit the mark again, in off the near post, for 12-0 with ten minutes on the clock.

The third try came on eighteen when Danny Walker scooted from acting half back to dive over the line as the Giants defence split open and allowed the hooker through for the score. Thewlis hit the mark again for 18-0, Warrington in total control.

Some small respite for the Giants on twenty-four when a repeat set saw Adam Swift take a Jake Connor pass to cross in the left corner for the opening Huddersfield try. Connor was off target from close to the touchline, the Giants still with a mountain to climb after a sensational Wolves start.

Just as the Giants seemed to be getting back into the game George Williams scored another sensational Wolves try after Walker broke the line and found the supporting Williams to canter seventy metres, wrongfoot the chasing Adam Clune, and go over to the right of the sticks but Thewlis missed the conversion, the difference eighteen points.

Williams attempted a drop goal on the half time hooter ad hit the left uptight, the Wolves taking a big lead into the interval.

Thewlis made a meal of a forty-fifth minute penalty, skewing the ball well wide of the sticks.

A charged down kick by Ben Currie and a quick play the ball in broken Giants defence led to the first points of the second half, Matt Dufty being the man in the right place to take the final pass and drop over the line. Thewlis found the target with his conversion for 28-4.

Any hope that the Giants had was extinguished on fifty-four when Dufty went through a big gap in the Giants defence to score his second try of the afternoon. Thewlis was on target with the conversion for a thirty-point lead, it was becoming embarrassing for the Giants.

When Connor pushed a chasing Thewlis over the advertising hoarding on fifty-eight a twenty-six-man brawl broke out with Tiu Lolohea and Matty Nicholson being the main protagonists. The referee read the riot act but kept thirteen a side on the field.

After Sam Powell lost the ball under the tackle from Kevin Naiqama, the Giants centre picked up the loose ball and went over for the second Giants try, on the hour mark, but it was scant consolation for the Giants. Connor added the conversion for 10-34.

Slaps from Connor on sixty-seven after the tackle was completed saw the petulant Giants talisman sin-binned to heap more trouble on his side. Thewlis kicked the resulting penalty for 36-10.

On seventy-two Leroy Cudjoe appeared to win the race to ground the ball in the left corner but the video referee decided that he had his foot in touch as he grounded the ball and ruled out the four-pointer.

Four minutes from time the Wolves grabbed a seventh try to bring up the forty points with Sam Powell spinning out of a tackle to ground from close after taking an inside pass to cross with ease. Thewlis was on target again.

A minute from time Roderick Tai wriggled free of his tackler to get in on the scoring action with the final try of the game as he scrambled over. Thewlis missed the conversion, Warrington with a comprehensive 46-10 win.

Warrington controlled the game from the first whistle to the final hooter and while the Giants hit double figures they were never in the game and ever had a sniff of the vestry which would have taken them to Wembley early next month. It will be all the W’s on the 8th June when Wigan Warriors take on the Warrington Wolves for the first time since 1989-90 when Wigan were victors, and only the second time in the competitions history.

Warrington Wolves: Dufty (2T), Thewlis (7/8 G), King, Tai (T), Ashton (T), Williams (T), Drinkwater (T), Harrison, Walker (T), Vaughan, Nicholson, Fitzgibbon, Currie. Subs: Philbin, Musgrove, Crowther, Powell (T). 18th Man: Ratchford. 

Huddersfield Giants: Connor (1/2 G) (SB on 67), Swift (T), Marsters, Naiqama (T), Wallis, Lolohea, Clune, Wilson, Milner, English, Cudjoe, Murchie, Yates.  Subs: Golding, Rushton, Salabio, Ikahihifo. 18th Man: Russell.

Half-Time: 22-4.

Full-Time: 46-10.

Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 16-0, 18-0, 18-4, 22-4 : HT: 26-4, 28-4, 32-4, 34-4, 34-8, 34-10, (SB), 36-10, 40-10, 42-10, 46-10 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: Warrington.

Referee: Liam Moore.