Despite being named on the Huddersfield Giants’ departure list, both Adam Clune and Tui Lolohea could still have a future at the club according to head coach Jim Lenihan.
The overseas halves duo were two of nine players confirmed to be leaving the club at the end of the season but after impressive performances in the Giants’ final game of the season, Lenihan has confirmed that the ‘door is not shut’ on either man.
Clune registered three assists as Lolohea also played a starring role in Huddersfield’s 48-16 win over Castleford Tigers and when speaking post-match, Lenihan confirmed that there’s still plenty to work through in terms of squad-building for next year.
Asked during his post-match presser about finalising the squad, he said: “Some of those things, we’re still sort of working through. We have to have a list by the final round but the door is not shut on anyone.
“There’s still opportunities for people to come back in. It was just that if they had an opportunity to go somewhere else then they [could] look at those opportunities.
“If it still works with us and it’s still a good position for us, then we might add people that come back into this group, that’s for sure.
“There still could be some people here staying that might be on the to go list.”
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Could Adam Clune and Tui Lolohea still have a future at Huddersfield Giants?
The two most prominent names on that list who have not had their future confirmed are Clune and Lolohea, particularly given that the Giants only appear to have new signing Jake Arthur as a starting half for next year.
When asked specifically about the overseas duo, Lenihan said: “No, the door is not shut on those two individuals.
“We’ve sort of had discussions before that if they have opportunities to go elsewhere then they may go elsewhere.”
A major reason why discussions haven’t progressed for Clune at least was his injury record, with Lenihan explaining: “It was just a big thing for Adam to get to the back end of the year. He doesn’t need the extra pressure of all the other stuff but that will be something that we pick up in time down the track.
“Tui is pretty much the same sort of thing. Tui’s game changes suddenly once he has an on-ball half directing things for him, so he’s another person who could fit that mould for us really well.
“He was great on ball but the best part was the chase back to Sarbah in the corner, he pushed him back in the corner and never gave up. They’re the things we value, that never give up side of things.”
Having conceded that the pair could yet be offered new deals and be a part of the Giants’ future, the Huddersfield boss offered up a vague timescale as he explained there’s still plenty of moving parts in the equation.
“It’s all sort of imbalanced with what’s also happening and what could come or what could not come,” he said.
“We’d obviously like to have everything locked up now and feel really comfortable about what’s here but to have good people and the right people isn’t just a quick fix.
“We’d like to think that in the next two, three, or four weeks that everything is locked away but we’ve still got to see how it all pans out.”
