Huddersfield Giants boss Luke Robinson has confirmed that Adam Clune could be sidelined for another two months after injuring his hamstring. Clune missed the opening few rounds of the Super League season after struggling with a calf issue over the course of pre-season.
He made his return to action earlier this month, though, as the Giants took on Wigan Warriors at the Brick Community Stadium and he made his presence felt picking up two assists in the first half of the contest. However, in what came as a huge blow to the club and the head coach, Clune returned to the treatment room last weekend and sat out of the Challenge Cup defeat to Wakefield Trinity.
Robinson has now moved to clarify the scrum-half’s situation, confirming he is set for another lengthy spell on the sidelines.
“He’s out for seven to eight weeks. He did his hamstring,” the Huddersfield Giants boss said. “He’s our general and I’ve said all along that we’re putting a lot of faith in Cluney this year, I have a lot of faith in him and I think we’ll see the best of Cluney this year by giving the reins of the team and that dominance.
“I think in the Wigan game he showed the impact he could have, having him on and having a bit more of a general on the field, creating a try for Swifty and Gags with a kick and I thought we looked way more threatening with him in the side.
“Unfortunately with him pulling his hamstring, it puts us behind the eight ball a little bit. Very unfortunate. He went away in September last year and really with the team he’s only trained one week with us.
“He kept re-injuring his calf during pre-season and now he’s pulled his hamstring so we’ve had rotten luck with him and we’re going to have to wrap him in cotton wool and make sure he’s fully ready to go when he comes back. We need him on the field, we’re a better side with him, that game management, that experience, that skill, we need to make sure that when we get him back, he comes back right.”
Fortunately for Robinson, the Giants have been boosted by the arrival of Niall Evalds from Hull KR. Evalds has made the switch to the John Smith’s Stadium on loan and the Huddersfield boss has opened up on what impact he believes Evalds can make.
“Niall’s a player I had interest in when I first took over the job,” he said. “I know he’s a Huddersfield boy, my mum used to go to school with his dad and he’s a Siddal boy like me.
“He’s someone I’ve looked at and thought he would be a fabulous player. Things were happening at Hull KR and we got wind that he might be an option to come this year.
“I think he’s a top four full-back but he’s someone who’s also played on the wing. Just for us as a squad, competition for places. Every good side you look at, this side of the world or the other, the Penriths, the Wigans, they have competition for places.
“When you have a squad that’s healthy and fighting to get in the side every week it makes training better. Bringing someone of Niall’s quality in just adds to our squad and what he does do is, he has a wealth of experience, he’s rapid and I know he’s getting a little bit older but he’s not lost his speed, he’s got good intellect. As the years have gone by he’s got a lovely pass in his game as well.”
