Huddersfield Giants 38, Leigh Centurions 16 by Mike Hulme

LEIGH Centurions could still have Paul Terzis as coach next season despite their Grand Final loss to Huddersfield Giants on Saturday.

The Leigh board told their Aussie coach that they would only renew his contract if Leigh beat the Giants to claim a place in Super League.

But reports emerging over the weekend would indicate that they could have a re-think. It is possible they will offer Terzis a new deal - but at a reduced rate.

"We will be talking to everyone in the next week or so," says chairman Mike Nolan.

"There has got to be some financial reality in the NFP and we'll be putting a budget together. We will get the best available for that budget and keeping Paul is certainly not ruled out. I've got a lot of time for him as a coach.

Terzis, who has guided Leigh to two Grand Finals in his three years in charge, said that he would be prepared to stay.

"I'll know within the next 7-14 days where I might be," he said.

Leigh will hold a board meeting today to review the club's financial position and agree a strategy.

Inevitably some players will be released for cost reasons but others, such as Dale Cardoza, Dave Bradbury and Paul Rowley are under contract for next season.

Terzis admitted that Leigh blew their chance to upset the odds and topple the Giants in Saturday's first half when Leigh were the more dominant side.

"I thought at half time we should have been in front, simple as that. If we'd produced another 40 minutes like we had in the first half we'd have won the game." he declared.

"But hats off to Huddersfield, they were too good for us in the second half."

A record crowd of over 9000 saw Leigh make a shaky start, knocking on and then conceding a penalty that Steve McNamara converted.

But Leigh were soon ahead with a Dale Cardoza try before a Simon Baldwin error led to Effin O'Hare sprint clear to score.

Leigh came back again with an Oli Marns try but when Leigh gifted Huddersfield good field position again they didn't waste it with Marcus St Hilaire scoring.

Huddersfield lead, rather fortunately, 14-10 at half time. But after the break it was a different story as the Giants showed their class to brush Leigh's challenge aside.

They scored further tries through Chris Thorman, Stanley Gene, O'Hare and St Hilaire while Leigh replied through John Hamilton.

The celebrations of Thorman's try and some unneccesary goading from Rob Roberts sparked an all-in brawl which ended with Robert and Dave Whittle being sin-binned and the whole matter put on report.

Leigh's frustrations boiled over and they were lucky to finish the game with a full compliment of players as Adam Bristow was sin-binned late on and Bradbury lucky to escape censure when he threw a water bottle at McNamara as he lined up a conversion attempt.