Luke Robinson apologises after 46-10 derby defeat by Wakefield
Jacob Gagai put the Giants ahead but it was one-way traffic from there as two tries from Jayden Myers and one each for Lachlan Walmsley, Mike McMeeken and Corey Hall gave Wakefield a 30-4 half-time lead.
Huddersfield coach Luke Robinson apologised for his side's lacklustre display after they were swatted aside 46-10 by Wakefield in a one-sided West Yorkshire derby.
Jacob Gagai put the Giants ahead but it was one-way traffic from there as two tries from Jayden Myers and one each for Lachlan Walmsley, Mike McMeeken and Corey Hall gave Wakefield a 30-4 half-time lead.
Max Jowitt touched down for his 12th try of the season and added seven conversions, with Cam Scott and Josh Griffin also going over as Wakefield leapfrogged Hull FC into sixth in Betfred Super League.
This was a 16th defeat in 19 outings this season for Huddersfield and all the more galling for Robinson after they had won two of their previous four games before playing at the newly-renamed Accu Stadium.
"It was probably one of my most disappointing performances ever as a coach," he said. "I'd like to apologise on behalf of the group to the fans because they don't deserve that performance.
"I'm so disappointed because it felt like we've been building (something) and this felt like a step back. We just couldn't or don't know how to win back momentum when it goes against us.
"The players are coming in early in the morning. Every single time you step over that line, it becomes life and death, it becomes the most important thing in your life for 80 minutes.
"It's something I've always lived by and something everybody who puts on that shirt should live by. We need to find individually what our why is for the rest of the year."
To add to Huddersfield's woes, Niall Evalds felt tightness in his calf five minutes into his comeback after four months on the sidelines with a broken foot, which he suffered on his club debut in March.
Evalds played through the pain but eventually conceded defeat a few minutes into the second half, and Robinson fears the former Salford and Hull KR full-back is facing another long spell out injured.
"I just feel absolutely gutted for him," Robinson added. "He's a fabulous player but for us at this moment in time he's had nothing but bad luck."
With Wakefield reigniting their top-six ambitions following last week's defeat at Hull, Daryl Powell admitted Trinity are using being written off at the start of the season as extra motivation.
Having been promoted from the Championship last year, Powell pointed out one bookmaker had them 100-1 to reach the 2025 Grand Final, but the Wakefield coach insisted they are a match for anyone.
"Everybody wrote us off," Powell said. "It's fuel for us all and we've used that and we still are. Teams are probably still taking us a bit lightly. If we're on then we're a tough team to beat.
"If we play well against anybody, I feel like we'll be in the game. It was a really strong performance. We started a little bit slow but once we got our teeth into the game, we were just too good."