Huddersfield Giants preview

Last season

A fourth-placed finish would seem decent enough, but Huddersfield may feel they didn't quite do themselves justice in 2011 with the way their season ended.

They didn't just fail to win one play-off game but two, firstly going down 47-0 away to table-topping Warrington in the qualifying semi-final and then losing out at home to Leeds the following week.

It meant a campaign that promised so much ended with five defeats in their last six outings, a far cry from their excellent start to the year that included a 28-18 triumph over the Wolves in Cardiff on opening weekend.

They were also heavy winners over Leeds at Headingley in April but seemed to run out of steam as the months wore on.

In fact, they ended the regular season one position higher than in 2010 but with a point less (32 to 33) and scored the second fewest amount of points out of those teams that made the top eight.

A loss away to Castleford in the quarter-finals ended their hopes of a trip to Wembley in the Challenge Cup, though they did receive a boost in May when coach Nathan Brown signed a new 12-month deal to remain in charge.

Ins and outs

Huddersfield have not gone far to sign players (perhaps the club no longer offer travel expenses!) as no fewer than four new faces have arrived from Yorkshire neighbours Wakefield.

Luke George, Tommy Lee and Joe Walker all made the short move from Belle Vue to the Galpharm, while the Giants sent Andy Raleigh and Danny Kirmond to the Wildcats to get hold of centre Aaron Murphy. Greg Eden and Jack Carvill have also been snapped up from Castleford and Leeds respectively, at least making sure relocation costs are kept to a minimum.

The demise of Crusaders as a top-flight team has allowed Brown to bring in Jason Chan, the Papua New Guinea international boosting a pack that already looked amongst the strongest in Super League.

As well as getting Raleigh and Kirmond, Wakefield have also recruited Kyle Wood from the Giants, while Keal Carlile, David Hodgson, who was deemed surplus to requirements after 65 tries for the club, and Graeme Horne have all headed up the M62 to Hull KR.

Brothers Darrell and Josh Griffin have both also left and Jamie Simpson has gone back Down Under after being released at the end of a disappointing campaign.

But, the biggest change will be the handing of the reins from Brown to assistant Paul Anderson. The former Great Britain international has already been confirmed as the Australian's successor, meaning he will step up from his current role as number two.

Outlook

By Chris Roberts - Huddersfield Examiner

Don't expect miracles from Huddersfield Giants at the start of Super League XVII. But later in the season, coach Nathan Brown's men could be the team to beat.

An unprecedented pre-season will see them without the services of SEVEN senior players for the opening rounds: captain Kevin Brown (ankle), David Fa'alogo (back), David Faiumu (shoulder), Keith Mason (groin), Larne Patrick (wrist), Luke O'Donnell (knee) and Tony Tonks (suspended) will all be watching from the stands when the action gets under way.

And the fact that six of the seven are forwards - Brown is the odd man out at stand-off - means the pack could find the going tough early on.

However, when the players do start to return around mid-March and get up to competitive speed, the Giants will again be a formidable top-flight force.

Before requiring surgery, Test trio Fa'alogo, Faiumu and O'Donnell were proving to be some of Huddersfield's most effective performers. If they can slot straight back into the groove, the pack will be taking few prisoners.

New signing Jason Chan has already shown in his two trial games why he was such a big hit for Crusaders in their second row, and there's no doubt he'll add extra steel to the pack.

Any set of forwards that boasts the likes of Chan, Fa'alogo, O'Donnell, Eorl Crabtree and Keith Mason is one to be feared and respected, and if they can play to their full potential the backs have the quality to finish opponents off.

Playmakers Brown, Danny Brough, Luke Robinson, Scott Grix, Shaun Lunt and Tommy Lee will be waiting in the wings to take advantage and looking to provide the openings for the likes of Leroy Cudjoe, Jermaine McGillvary, Luke George and rising star Joe Wardle to put the icing on the try-scoring cake.

Yes, with a full-strength line-up, the Giants really could be a team capable of going all the way and giving Nathan Brown the perfect send-off before returning to his native Australia after his four-year Huddersfield reign.