LUKE Robinson admitted he would have been wracked with guilt had Huddersfield Giants not delivered a winning home finale for Leroy Cudjoe.
It looked at one point as if Betfred Super League bottom side Salford Red Devils would spoil the occasion of the 37-year-old’s last outing at Accu Stadium on Sunday, leading 8-6 until three tries inside the final 10 minutes powered the Giants to a 22-8 victory.
And head coach Robinson was pleased to get over the line for the man he made his Huddersfield debut alongside against Leeds Rhinos in 2008 as Cudjoe prepares to bring the curtain down on an 18-season career with his hometown club.
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A home win for @Giantsrl in Round 26 🙌#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/yCQhZVteR1
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) September 14, 2025
“For me, it was more about getting a win for Leroy,” Robinson told Sky Sports.
“What he’s done within the game, the community and the club, it would have been horrendous – I couldn’t have lived with myself if I was the coach who didn’t get him a win in his final home game.
“I’m very privileged to have played with him…and I’ve been on a journey with Leroy and seen the player he’s become, but more than anything else the man he has become.”
Cudjoe announced last Wednesday he would be retiring from playing at the end of the season, having racked up over 400 appearances for Huddersfield along with earning 12 England caps.
He was part of the Giants squad which claimed Super League’s League Leaders’ Shield in 2013, and played in both the 2009 and 2022 Challenge Cup final defeats to Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors respectively.
The former Newsome Panthers junior remain with Huddersfield in a new role overseeing academy players transitioning to the first team after retiring and player of the match against Salford, Harry Rushton, hailed Cudjoe’s contribution to the team.
“All the boys love him,” Rushton told Sky Sports. “We were speaking about it all week and how we can’t let him down.
“He is the main figure-point at this club, even a few fans have spoken to him this week and said they can’t remember the days when Leroy wasn’t playing for this club, so it shows how long he has been here playing.
Emotional moment ❤️@Giantsrl‘s Leroy Cudjoe kicks the goal in his final ever home game 👏#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/62qt9YiJOj
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) September 14, 2025
“He’s done a great stint and Robbo mentioned before the game that Leroy is very selfless, everything he does for the team is for everyone else not himself and to go out there and do that for him, and I think we did that.
“Leroy is a massive part of this club and will be after his playing days. We wanted to send him out at home with a win – which we did, thankfully.”
Cudjoe is set to make his 407th and final appearance for 10th-placed Huddersfield on Friday when they travel to play-off contenders Leigh Leopards in the final round of Super League’s regular season.
Robinson feels privileged to have played with and then coached Cudjoe, but admires him for the example he sets as a person more than anything.
“I’ve got three young boys who love rugby league and yeah they want to be good rugby players, but if they turn into half the man Leroy is I’ll be unbelievably proud,” Robinson said.
“It’s fitting for Leroy that we won, even though it was ugly.”