Huddersfield Giants signing on Hull FC split, season-ending injury and play-off ambitions

Huddersfield Giants recruit Liam Sutcliffe has revealed the background to his early exit from Hull FC.

The 30-year-old centre signed for Huddersfield Giants in September on a three-year contract, after being released from the final year of his deal with Hull.

Sutcliffe joined the Black and Whites from Leeds Rhinos – where he was a Challenge Cup winner in 2014 and Super League champion three years later – ahead of the 2023 season and made 38 appearances, scoring 11 tries and 14 goals.

That made him one of Hull’s most consistent players during a tough spell for the club, but he admitted the move “just didn’t work out”.

Now, getting close to full fitness after a long-term injury, he sees his return to West Yorkshire as a fresh start and reckons Giants are capable of forcing their way back into the play-off picture this season.

Reflecting on his time in East Yorkshire, Sutcliffe told Serious About Rugby League: “On the pitch, it wasn’t the best couple of years.

“Things just didn’t work out, it was one of those where I think [moving on] worked out best for both parties.

“At first, it wasn’t the best on the pitch, but it was fine. This last year, there was a lot of change, they’ve got new people running it and they were kind of going in a different direction.

“This opportunity came up and it was one I wanted to explore. We worked out it was best we went our separate ways and here I am.

“Looking ahead, this is one I am really excited about and I am looking forward to getting back out there now.”

Giants signing close to return after season-ending injury

Sutcliffe’s 2024 season ended last summer when he suffered a serious foot injury during a game against Catalans Dragons.

Having begun his Giants career on the casualty list, he joined in some team training for the first time last month and expects to be back to full fitness within the next few weeks.

“I broke a little bone and then ruptured my Lisfranc ligament,” Sutcliffe recalled. “It was a bit of a weird one, but a long one.

“I did it at the end of July and I am only just coming back now, so it has been long and frustrating, but I am nearly there.

“When we started pre-season, I was just running at the side. I was back running, which was a positive, but I just wanted to get back into training with the team.

“Now I am nearly there, I am trying to not rush it, but I do want to get back in there. You do get frustrated, but you learn some things can’t be rushed.

“Luckily, it’s pre-season and as much as I want to get involved, I am not missing any games. I’m just looking forward to getting back into it.”

Huddersfield Giants signing claims club are “striving for play-offs”

The new year is as much a clean slate for Giants and for Sutcliffe himself. After last season’s disappointing ninth-placed finish, they head into 2025 with some exciting new faces – led by England prop Tom Burgess – and renewed hope under boss Luke Robinson.

“That’s the plan,” Sutcliffe said when asked if Giants can achieve a top-six finish this year. “We want to be competitive week-in, week-out and we do want to be striving for the play-offs.

“Hopefully that’s where we will go this year. I am not sure what it has been like the last few years, but we have got a new coach, Robbo’s in charge now and we should be pushing for the play-offs at least.”

Robinson had a spell as interim boss last year before being handed the reins full-time and has impressed Sutcliffe with how he has run things in pre-season.

“He is demanding, he wants to set standards and he knows what should be expected from players,” Sutcliffe said.

“He is trying to push us at training and drive standards and raise expectations. So far I am really excited to be working under him. I just want to get out there and fully experience it.”