Huddersfield Giants get their Super League campaign underway tonight but before a ball has been kicked Ian Watson is the most under pressure man in Super League, per a Sky Sports pundit.
With the season opener showcased on Sky Sports last night, there was an hour-long build-up to the game which allowed pundits Sam Tomkins, Jon Wilkin, Jenna Brooks and new co-commentator Kyle Amor to offer up plenty of thoughts on Super League as a whole.
Naturally, the conversation swayed between which clubs have high expectations, the surprise package sides and also the head coaches.
Ex-St Helens captain Jon Wilkin has now claimed that Huddersfield Giants head coach Ian Watson is the most under pressure head coach in the competition.
Watson is heading into his fourth season at the helm for Huddersfield Giants and only his second season has been anything to shout about really, both the 2021 and 2023 campaigns seeing the team place ninth in Super League.
As such Wilkin has now claimed that Ian Watson is a man under plenty of pressure even before the Giants start their season on the road against Leigh Leopards tonight.
“There’s not a man under more pressure” – Heat is on for Super League head coach
Huddersfield Giants coach Ian Watson is under huge pressure according to Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin. – Picture by Ed Sykes/SWpix.com – Copyright: x xSWpix.comxt/axPhotographyxHubxLtdxEdxSykes/SWpix.comx SWP-2117-0001
It’s been another off-season where Huddersfield Giants have seen plenty of recruits come through the door and as such expectations are high.
Jon Wilkin explained: “I think they’ve got to do something. I don’t think there’s a man under more pressure at the start of the year than Ian Watson.
“I think Ken Davy sent out a statement of intent last year, he said, ‘This is my strongest squad. I’ve never had a stronger squad than this’. To say that at the start of the year and then underwhelm like they did, there has to be pressure.”
What made the 2023 campaign even more disappointing was that Huddersfield were following up on an impressive 2022 season where they had placed third and made it to the Challenge Cup Final.
To then limp to a ninth-placed finish is what has created such huge pressure, as have the new wave of signings that have arrived according to Wilkin.
He explained: “They brought in players like Adam Clune from the NRL and several new signings. The biggest one for me, and it’s a loss for Hull FC, is Adam Swift. I think he’s been exceptional for Hull FC, a big loss for them, it’s a massive gain for Huddersfield.”
Swift has been tearing up pre-season but he hasn’t been brought in simply to boost the squad, but to help replace the departing Jermaine McGillvary, as is the same with Clune and Theo Fages.
That’s something that Sky’s new pundit Sam Tomkins noted as he also alluded to the huge pressure that Huddersfield Giants are under.
Tomkins said: “I think the start of the season is big for Huddersfield. They talked themselves up last year and produced not a lot at the early part of the league, and then they were trying to claw it back and never could.
“They’ve lost some experience in Theo Fages and Jermaine McGillvary. I think bringing in Clune is going to make a difference. He’s got to come and have a huge impact.
“He’ll be the brains and of course, you’ve got Tui Lolohea and Jake Connor to provide the spark for Huddersfield.”
For tonight’s game though Lolohea is suspended, as is captain Luke Yates in controversial circumstances.
