THE ODDS have shortened on a third successive engage Super League Grand Final between Leeds and St Helens, who followed the Rhinos in booking their home qualifying semi-final and earning a week’s rest after a punishing playoff encounter last night, writes Hamish Patrick.

Huddersfield Giants, who ended St Helens’ three-year Challenge Cup monopoly last month, were cut down by three tries in the first 20 minutes and cursed their failure to recover after blowing plenty of chances in the face of a sterling defensive effort by Saints.

After a riotous opening, the home team were becalmed by something of a makeshift Huddersfield, who never looked likely to check Saints’ progress and must win their preliminary semi-final at home next Friday if they are to stand a chance of following up last month’s Wembley cup final appearance with one at Old Trafford on October 10.

Mick Potter, Saints’ coach, was content with a solid display after a wobbly few weeks. “It was a good win in a pretty dour match,” he said. “I’m happy with some of the things we’ve done and there’s improvement in us. It was a very slow match — that’s the way it was officiated — and it made it difficult to score points.”

Huddersfield were hit by three Saints tries in a stunning first quarter. In the third minute Tony Puletua burst clear and beat three defenders over 35 metres.

Brett Hodgson pulled two points back with a penalty but the Giants were unhinged by the home side’s pace around the rucks. They did well to hold up the dynamic Kyle Eastmond before Leon Pryce cut through on the left, stepping past Stephen Wild and leaving Luke Robinson clutching at air.

Huddersfield conceded two quick penalties and the ball was whipped from touchline to touchline. An injection of pace and a one-handed offload by Eastmond gave Francis Meli a try for a 14-2 lead.

Huddersfield stemmed the flow but blew two scoring opportunities before the break, including a gilt-edged chance when Wild made a hash of finishing Robinson’s break. Ade Gardner knocked on Sean Long’s lofted kick to squander a try at the other end and, with Hodgson pulling the strings, Huddersfield’s pack ratcheted up the pressure. But too many passes in good positions went astray.

The result was put beyond doubt by Long, who had miscued two drop goal efforts but kicked a decisive one-pointer in the 72nd minute.

Star man: Kyle Eastmond (St Helens)

Scorers: St Helens: Tries: Puletua, Pryce, Meli Con: Eastmond DG: Long

Huddersfield: Pen: Hodgson

Referee: R Silverwood (Mirfield) Attendance: 6,157

St Helens: P Wellens; A Gardner, M Gidley, K Eastmond, F Meli; L Pryce, S Long; J Graham, K Cunningham (capt), T Puletua, C Flannery, J Wilkin, L Gilmour. Substitutes: J Roby, B Hargreaves, P Clough, M Fa’asavalu

Huddersfield: L Cudjoe; M Aspinwall, S Finnigan, M Lawrence, D Hodgson; B Hodgson (capt), L Robinson; D Sculthorpe, L Fulton, P Jackson, S Wild, A Raleigh, P Whatuira. Substitutes: E Crabtree, D Griffin, S Lunt, L Patrick