The joy of unexpected home advantage lasted less than 24 hours when Warriors were forced to tell the RFL that their ground was unavailable due to Wigan Athletic's Premier League match there against Sunderland less than 24 hours later.

But the game will not be switched to Bradford – instead it will be played at another venue in the North West – at either Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium or Widnes' Hobart Stadium.

Final arrangements of venue and ticket details were due to be confirmed later today.

Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan said: "We are naturally disappointed that
the JJB cannot be made available.

"We have explored fully with the RFL the options of playing on Thursday or Sunday, but neither is possible for competition integrity issues so we prefer to play on a North West ground of our choice."

Wigan thought they had earned a bonus game at the JJB after Huddersfield's stunning 38-20 result at Warrington on Saturday.

Warriors needed Giants to win in order to secure fourth place in the table.

And the Yorkshire side – shot through with ex-Wigan players including Stephen Wild, Kevin Brown and Martin Aspinwall – did just that, cruising into a 24-6 half-time lead and rarely looking threatened.

Warriors second-row Harrison Hansen watched the game on television along with several team-mates, including Micky Higham and Iafeta Paleaaesina.

Straight after Warriors' gutsy 16-16 draw at St Helens on Friday evening, Hansen had predicted Giants might go to Warrington and win.

And speaking after Huddersfield's success, he said: "I thought they could do it and they didn't let us down, although I don't suppose they did it for Wigan.

"They're a proud side and they would have wanted to win it for themselves, but they still did us a big favour in the process.

"Wildy had a great game. I think we all owe him a couple of drinks.

"It would have been great to be playing at the JJB in front of our own fans, as we said weeks ago it was our aim to finish fourth and get a home tie in the first round of the play-offs.

"And while we had to depend on other results on the last day of the season, we still regard it as an achievement to finish fourth, even if we now have to play the game elsewhere."
The other play-off game this weekend sees Catalans Dragons at home to faltering Warrington.

Top side St Helens will face runners-up Leeds the week after.