No more excuses for Huddersfield Giants as Robinson sets season aim and confirms signing debut

Huddersfield Giants head coach Luke Robinson has conceded that there are no more excuses with a line drawn in the sand for the club’s woes.

Heading into their Round 13 clash with Leigh Leopards on Thursday night, the Giants have still only won one game in Super League and the Huddersfield boss recently spoke about drawing a line in the sand and kicking on.

That’s because the club’s torrid injury issues are slowly easing with the likes of Niall Evalds and Jack Murchie among the only major names missing, in contrast to earlier rounds when over half the club’s salary cap was sat on the sidelines.

Robinson has also confirmed that his six and seven, Tui Lolohea and Adam Clune, will play together in the halves for the first time this season, with Lolohea’s return last week coming at full-back.

It means a recall for George Flanagan who many deemed unlucky to miss out against St Helens but the Huddersfield boss has now explained why when speaking to the BBC.

Huddersfield boss confirms spine selection for Leigh Leopards clash

“George (Flanagan) is going to play this week, he’ll be at full-back,” Robinson confirmed in his mid-week presser ahead of the clash with Leigh.

“I’ve said before he’s played a lot and it’s not easy as a young kid playing week in and week out. That allows Rushy to go to the bench, we’ve asked Zac to play big minutes, so he’ll be there to cover Zac.”

It means Lolohea and Clune will play in the halves with Zac Woolford at nine as Huddersfield finally find some spine consistency and Robinson has admitted that with injury issues dissipating, his team can be more fairly judged now.

“They’re all significant,” he responded when asked if the number of returnees makes Thursday more significant than previous weeks.

“We’re actually getting our team back, I said a couple of weeks ago that we won’t just automatically start winning games. The league is very competitive but it gives us a lot better chance having experience back in the side.

“It won’t click straight away but I and the team should be judged because we’re getting players back now. Particularly after the Challenge Cup Final and the next round, we’ll have had some training sessions and consistency and we can finish the season a lot better than we started.”

Huddersfield Giants boss asked if players and staff are ‘fighting for futures’

Play-offs might be out of the equation but a strong second half of the season could be the difference between some players earning new contracts or not, and Robinson was asked if players and coaches alike are ‘fighting for their future’.

“Very much so,” confirmed Robinson, adding: “Every rugby league player and coach is the same. Nothing changes whether you’re a staff member or a player.

“We’re in a results-driven business and we need to start winning games as quickly as we can.”

One man who will boost the Giants’ chances of winning is new signing Tristan Powell and and Robinson confirmed Powell will debut for Huddersfield against the Leopards.

He explained: “There’s not too many changes but Tristan is obviously in the squad. There is no point flying him halfway around the world if we’re not going to play him so he’s going to make his debut.

“We’re expecting big things of Tristan but obviously not straight away. He’s got to acclimatise, he’s only been in the country a week.”

Asked what it was he does expect of the Australia, Robinson said: “We’ve got him at a good age where he’s got a real desire to prove himself and test himself. He’s got really good leg speed for a middle which I think will bring out the best of our others.”