In-form Huddersfield overturned a 10-point deficit to edge a Galpharm Stadium thriller and clinch a first appearance in the Super League play-offs.

A sixth win from their last seven matches completed a remarkable transformation for the Giants, who were firm relegation favourites back in April after losing their opening seven games.

This was not their most fluent performance of the season but certainly one their grittiest as they maintained their dominance of this fixture.

Jon Sharp's men had to retrieve a 22-12 deficit to secure their ninth consecutive win over Wakefield, which effectively ended the Wildcats' top-six hopes.

The architect of the Giants' victory was again skilful Australian half-back Brad Drew, who will be wearing the colours of Wakefield next year.

Wakefield stand-off Jamie Rooney actually thought he had snatched victory 11 minutes from the end when he chased Paul March's grubber kick to the line but narrowly failed to control the touchdown.

Rooney also had an early try disallowed for obstruction but the Wildcats took the lead when former Huddersfield winger Paul White intercepted Drew's pass and went 90 metres for the game's first try.

Rooney added the conversion and stretched his side's lead to 8-0 with a penalty.

Huddersfield's long-serving player Paul Reilly, who like Drew is joining the Wildcats next season, opened the home side's scoring on 18 minutes when he jinked over at the corner after taking Kevin Brown's long pass.

The Giants hit the lead for the first time 10 minutes before half-time when dangerous centre Jamahl Lolesi finished superbly for the first of his two tries after the Wakefield defence was opened up by Drew's clever pass.

Thorman's second goal put Huddersfield 12-8 ahead but the game was turned on its head with a quickfire brace of tries from Wakefield captain Jason Demetriou.

He supported a break by Kevin Henderson and dummied his way past Thorman for his first and then ran onto a short pass from former Huddersfield hooker Paul March for his second.

Rooney's fourth goal from as many attempts gave the Wildcats a 20-12 interval lead and he extended it to 10 points with a long-range penalty shortly after the re-start.

But Huddersfield piled on the pressure in the second half and it paid off with two tries in a crucial five-minute spell.

Drew first combined with Robbie Paul to get Lolesi over for his second try and then joined forces with substitute Steve Snitch, one of four former Wakefield players in the home ranks, to send loose forward Stephen Wild in.

Thorman's fourth goal put his side back in front but the game could have gone either way as fortunes swung wildly in a pulsating finish.

Rooney went close at one end and then Paul dummied his way over at the other from acting half-back - only for video referee Ashley Klein to rule he lost control of the ball.