Eorl Crabtree is to officially part ways with Huddersfield Giants for the first time in 25 years, the club has announced. Crabtree first joined the Giants back in 1999 as a youngster before making his debut for the club in 2001.
In the 16 seasons that followed, Crabtree made 424 outings for the Giants, scoring 79 tries along the way as he secured legend status at the John Smith’s Stadium. In that time he helped the club to Super League promotion, won the League Leaders’ Shield and played in two Challenge Cup finals.
Since his retirement in 2016, Crabtree has been working as a club ambassador while spending time in commercial sales. However, he will leave the club this month to take up an opportunity elsewhere in rugby league .
“After 25 incredible years at the Huddersfield Giants, this decision was one of the toughest I’ve ever had to make,” Crabtree told the Huddersfield Giants website. “This club has been my home, my family and my life since I first walked through the doors as a teenager. I am immensely proud of everything we’ve achieved together, both on and off the field and I’ll always treasure the memories, the friendships, and the passion that have made my time here so special.
“To the fans, thank you for your unwavering support and for making the Giants such a unique and inspiring place to be. To my teammates, coaches and colleagues over the years, I am deeply grateful for your guidance, camaraderie and belief in me—it has been an honour to share this journey with you all.
“While it’s difficult to say goodbye, I am excited to embrace this new challenge within Rugby League and bring the lessons I’ve learned at the Giants into this next chapter. Huddersfield will always be in my heart and I will forever be proud to call myself a Giant. I look forward to staying connected with the club and its amazing supporters in the years to come.”
Paying tribute to the 42-year-old former prop, Giants chairman Ken Davy added: “It was with sadness yet a degree of excitement that Eorl informed me personally that he was going to accept a new challenge in the game.
“He knows that he could have remained a Giant for the foreseeable future but opportunities in life sometimes appear when least expected and I wish him every success. I well recall seeing one his early academy appearances up at Fartown and to watch his career flourish both on the field as player and off the field as a personality synonymous with the club has been a delight.
“There is no doubt in my mind that over the past 20 plus years he has been the most recognizable face of the Giants and has forged a magnificent reputation for himself as firstly a player of international quality and latterly an ambassador and salesman of the Club. His legacy is one that may not be repeated in the modern era with over 400 games at the highest level and it will be a sad day when he does depart although we all know that the Giants will always be in his heart. Whenever his name is mentioned a smile will come across my face as he has that effect on all he meets and he in it’s simplest terms is a good good man. ”
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