Sam Tomkins dissects Huddersfield Giants’ dismissal of Ian Watson with brutally honest verdict delivered
Sky Sports pundit Sam Tomkins (main image) has delivered his verdict on Huddersfield Giants' sacking of Ian Watson
Sky Sports pundit Sam Tomkins has admitted Ian Watson’s sacking hasn’t come as a surprise, dissecting Huddersfield Giants’ decision to dismiss their head coach.
Following a run of just one win in nine games across all competitions, the Giants announced that they had parted company with Watson on Thursday afternoon.
The ex-Salford Red Devils boss spent circa two-and-a-half years in charge at the John Smith’s Stadium, taking the hotseat at the start of the 2021 campaign.
His tenure included a 2022 season which saw Huddersfield finish 3rd on the Super League ladder, and come just minutes away from tasting silverware in the Challenge Cup final, pipped to the post by Wigan Warriors at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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Sam Tomkins dissects Huddersfield Giants’ dismissal of Ian Watson with brutally honest verdict delivered
But following 18 months which have largely been underwhelming, the pressure told on Watson, whose last game in charge saw the Giants beaten 48-0 away against Warrington Wolves last Friday night.
Six days on, and just a few hours after his dismissal was confirmed, the Sky Sports cameras are back at The Halliwell Jones Stadium for Warrington’s Round 17 clash with Leeds Rhinos, who themselves have a new head coach in the shape of Brad Arthur.
And ahead of that clash, Tomkins has been giving his opinion on Watson’s dismissal via Sky’s social media channels.
BREAKING: Huddersfield Giants have sacked their head coach Ian Watson and Jenna Brooks and Sam Tomkins react to the news! 👇 pic.twitter.com/XZn7YWJxj3
— Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) July 11, 2024
In a video posted on X, the two-time Man of Steel said: “I don’t think it is surprising.
“We’re in a results-based industry, this is his fourth year in charge at Huddersfield and you’d have to say he’s not changed a great deal in that time, which is what he was signed to do.
“I think the performance here last week at the Halliwell Jones can’t have helped, they gave up in some sense in that game.
“That’s the tough reality of the sport, if the team aren’t producing, then they’ve got to make a change.”
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‘They need a big change, and obviously that’s what they think they need to do’
Given the recency of Watson’s exit, there are no concrete suggestions as yet as to who will succeed him in the Giants’ hotseat.
Assistant Luke Robinson, who has been involved at the club for a long time, has taken charge on an interim basis for now.
His time in charge begins on Saturday as Huddersfield make the trip to take on Leigh Leopards in a clash that feels monumental in the race for the play-offs, with the loser of that game facing an almost impossible uphill battle to make the top six thereafter.
Tomkins continued: “Going into the second half of the season, they (Huddersfield) are eight points off the play-offs with less than half of the season left.
“They need a big change and obviously that’s what they think they need to do. I think you very often see a change and a lift in performance when there’s been a big change.
“Firstly, they’ve got to impress whoever is the next coach. It’s Luke Robinson for now, but they’ll be looking to bring somebody in.
“I think there’s clearly some conflict in that group between players and coach. People like Jake Connor that have been pushed on the outer, maybe get more of a chance now, but I think it’s important as a group that they drive it themselves.
“I’ve been in a situation where a coach gets sacked and it’s important that almost you get player led. They’ve got a lot of senior players, people like Chris Hill will take charge over this coming weekend, and I’d expect a big performance from them against Leigh.”