SAINTS experienced front rower Anthony Laffranchi said he and his pack colleagues took Saturday evening’s dusting personally.

After that same pack, with the exception of new recruit Willie Manu, had physically got over the top of Leeds, Warrington away and Catalan last term it was hard to explain their abject surrender.

But Laffranchi, in his second year of a contract at Saints and looking for an extension, said that the players now just want to put that nightmare to one side and move on.

The Italian-Aussie said: “Back at training this week we have reviewed and put it to bed it is now about improving.

“The most disappointing thing is that we have a formidable forward pack and each and everyone of us takes it personally “I was very disappointed not to be able to get the team going forward and to get dominated.

“We had prepared well for it so to come out and dish that performance up was disappointing.”

Laffranchi explained the twin effects of that Giants pack dominance and Danny Brough’s perfect boot.

He said: “Brough was kicking on the front foot. He is a quality player and we brought every ball back off our own line.

“I felt sorry for our back three because the amount of times we had to run the ball out from our goal line.

“It has a snowball effect - Giants were marching out of their half and putting in attacking kicks and we were constantly being lucky to get to our 40s and put a kick in from there, which they invariably caught on the full.

“Browny gave us instructions which would have worked had we stuck to it, we needed to do something to change momentum but we didn’t get it.

“It was a very sombre dressing room and it was disappointing to hear the visiting sheds singing their song after, it always cuts deep.”

With wounds licked, there is no more time for moping ahead of Sunday’s derby tussle.

There Laffranchi will be locking horns with former State of Origin colleague Ben Cross.

But it is the presence of Gareth Hock that may fire everyone up.

Laffranchi said: “Hock is an asset to them, he is a good player and gives them a bit of aggression on that edge. He is another player that we will have to contain.

“He was a formidable figure on Good Friday and over in the Cup game too. Widnes will look to him being pumped to playing first game in their colours.”