Super League side cut player’s loan short after suffering triple blow

Huddersfield Giants have recalled prop forward Matty English from his loan deal with Super League rivals Castleford Tigers cutting the deal short, much to the dismay of Cas fans.

The Giants teased the recall last night as they took to social media following England’s defeat to Spain in the European Championships Final.

On X, the Giants posted: “Football isn’t coming home but a certain polar bear maybe”.

For those who don’t know, English’s nickname is ‘The Polar Bear’ alluding to his blonde near-white head of hair.

This tweet served as extra frustration for Castleford fans after a dreary 90 minutes of football, but was exactly what Huddersfield fans would have been hoping for.

They suffered yet another defeat this weekend, making it nine defeats from their last ten games, and dropped to ninth in the Super League table.

Now is the perfect time to recall him, with Andre Savelio likely to get a ban after being sent-off against Leigh, and both Joe Greenwood and Sam Hewitt also picking up injuries forcing them off early.

Aidan McGowan, who has been playing on the wing, was also injured and taken off early.

Castleford Tigers Quiz: Can you name these former Super League players?

Giants deal blow to Castleford’s Super League hopes

With English’s loan to the Tigers being a particularly successful one, fans had been hoping he would stay. George Griffin hasn’t impressed, while Sylvester Namo is part of a trio of players who have been tried at prop this year but are injured.

He impressed particularly against Hull KR, but is joined by Sam Hall and Nixon Putt on the injury list, leaving Muizz Mustapha, Liam Watts and George Griffin as the options for Craig Lingard at prop.

This week, Lingard said of English: “We’re dependent on Huddersfield and what they want to do with him. Hopefully, for us, we can keep him as long as we possibly can. I’d love to keep him here longer.”

“From my point of view he’s been first class since he’s been here, he’s been exceptional and exactly what we needed and wanted, and filled all the criteria that we thought he would do.

“So if I can keep him here until the end of the season and beyond, brilliant, but I can’t really get into that too much because ultimately, he’s not our player, and that will be decided between Matty and Huddersfield.”

After a shock win away to St Helens and a win against London Broncos in Ebbsfleet, they will have been looking to make it a trio of victories at home to Catalans Dragons on Sunday, but now, this has been made harder.