In short, this was a performance Rob Burrow would have been incredibly proud of. Burrow was renowned for many things as a player but whether it was then, during his glittering on-field career, or now, as he takes on his biggest fight of all with Motor Neurone Disease, you have always been guaranteed fight and spirit from the 38-year-old. How the club he holds so close to his heart channelled those traits here to keep their hopes of a ninth Super League title alive. On the night Burrow was present as Leeds’ guest of honour, you felt everyone in attendance were steeled for an emotional evening. But as the words began to stream from the app which now helps Burrow communicate, it was impossible not to be moved. “I’m fighting my biggest opponent yet,” he said. “But no matter how it affects me, I will never give in.” His three children then delivered the match ball as the crowd chanted their father’s name and, for 80 minutes at least, it was over to Leeds’ players to match the courage and spirit with which Burrow is taking on this fight. They certainly delivered. “I think he did inspire the team,” the Leeds coach, Richard Agar, said after this hard-earned victory which keeps the Rhinos inside the play-off places. Without over half their salary cap here due to injuries and suspensions, it was not so much the points Leeds scored which were decisive here, but the way they battled and defended at the opposite end to secure victory. “As I came up the tunnel tonight, Rob gave me a big wink and a smile,” Agar continued. “It’s just great, and the reception he got was expected but was still very emotional. They’re moments to savour. I’m really proud of the team.” Leeds’ players made a point of greeting Burrow pre-match, and he would have certainly been pleased with the traits they showed here. With a young, inexperienced side - much like their opponents, in truth - the Rhinos led at half-time courtesy of tries from Ash Handley and Richie Myler. The Giants responded with a try of their own from the ever-impressive Will Pryce, who continues to show signs of a bright future himself. That made it 10-4 in Leeds’ favour at the break. But the second half, particularly the early stages of it, were dominated by Leeds. Back-to-back penalties from the boot of Harry Newman moved the Rhinos ahead by ten points, and as Agar said post-match, his side should have perhaps won more comfortably. That looked on the cards when Kruise Leeming sent Robert Lui through to make it 18-4. However, Huddersfield responded well as it looked as though the game was slipping away from them. But they were met with a resilient and determined Leeds defence, particularly on their own line as they quelled the Giants time and time again. “We’re a tough team to beat, but at the moment we’re being beaten by our own naivety,” Ian Watson, the beaten coach, admitted. When Zane Tetevano was sin-binned with seven minutes remaining, that opened the space for Huddersfield to finally break through, which they did when Sam Wood crossed in the corner. But by the time Owen Trout followed suit, there was only one second left on the clock, and any chance of forcing extra-time was out of the question, in truth. Burrow gave Leeds so much as a player. Now, it is the club’s time to give back to one of their favourite sons, and you suspect this night will have raised a trademark Burrow grin - just like the one he produced pre-match - as wide as the club’s famous South Stand, which was filled with supporters who cheered his name all night. This wasn’t Leeds’ night, this was Burrow’s. Leeds Myler; L Briscoe, Newman, T Briscoe, Handley; McLelland, Lui; Tetevano, Leeming, Thompson, Donaldson, Gannon, O’Connor. Interchange Holroyd, Dwyer, Vuniyayawa, Walters. Huddersfield Golding; Cudjoe, Wardle, Wood, Senior; Cogger, Pryce; Trout, Peats, Wilson, Jones, Greenwood, Yates. Interchange Peteru, Russell, English, Hewitt. Referee B Thaler.