“It’s all we’re talking about” – Huddersfield Giants focused on silverware according to captain

Huddersfield Giants came as close to silverware in the 2022 season as they had since their 2013 League Leaders Shield with the side being pipped 16-14 in the Challenge Cup final.

What followed from the Challenge Cup agony was a Super League campaign that saw them finish third but despite their superb form an early playoff exit awaited them.

Heading into 2023 the Giants have made huge changes with veteran players such as Ricky Leutele, Danny Levi and Michael Lawrence leaving and the fresh faces of Jake Connor, Jake Bibby, Jack Bibby, Kevin Naiqama and Esan Masters to name a few heading to the John Smith’s Stadium.

Captain Luke Yates has already stated that he believes the squad is a vast improvement on 2022 as reported here, but he’s now expressed that there’s a huge focus on silverware in his recent interview with the Sportsman on their Youtube channel.

Asked about ‘rubber-stamping’ their status and winning silverware, Yates responded: “Definitely, that’s all our goal is, what all of our drive is and all we’re talking about before we go into training is what’s going to win us these competitions.

“It’s the hard work through these winter months that is going to put us in a good place for the season.

“It would mean everything to me. I don’t want to be finishing my career and go ‘I made two Challenge Cup finals and didn’t win anything’.

“It’s getting to the time in my career now, as skipper at Huddersfield to be able to win something and it’d mean the world to me.”

Considering that Super League has been won by just one team for the past four years it is strange to make the argument that the competition is as open as ever, but it genuinely does feel very open and particularly deep for the six playoff spots.

The likes of Warrington, Hull KR and Hull FC will all seriously fancy their chances at cracking into the top-half whilst the likes of Castleford can’t be written off having just missed out in 2022.

Huddersfield will aim to capitalise on this uncertainty and continue their rich form of 2022 over into 2023 as they march on for silverware.