Preview: Huddersfield v Castleford

by NRL

coach Nathan Brown has named his 19 man squad for the trip to the Probiz Coliseum this coming Sunday 8th July as the Huddersfield Giants take on Castleford Tigers in Round 20 of the Stobart Super League, kick off 3.30pm.

Luke Robinson and David Fa'alogo return to the 19 man squad in place of Eorl Crabtree and Dale Ferguson.

The Huddersfield Giants 19 man squad is as follows;

1. Scott Grix
2. Michael Lawrence
3. Leroy Cudjoe
4. Lee Gilmour
6. Kevin Brown
7. Danny Brough
9. Luke Robinson
10. Keith Mason
11. Luke O'Donnell
12. David Fa'alogo
13. David Faiumu
15. Larne Patrick
18. Jason Chan
19. Tommy Lee
20. Luke George
21. Aaron Murphy
26. Jamie Cording
29. Greg Eden
35. Scott Moore

Referee: Ben Thaler

The Huddersfield Giants will be wearing their alternative kit

Purchasing tickets through the Giants earn the Club 10% commission and are available from the Galpharm Stadium Ticket Office on 01484 484123 or alternatively online by clicking here https://www.eticketing.co.uk/huddersfieldgiants/default.aspx

Tickets will stay on sale until 11am on Saturday 7th July.

Brown looking for continued improvement

Head Coach hoping to build on Hull FC performance

Huddersfield Giants Head Coach Nathan Brown is looking for his side to show 'continued progression' when they lock horns with Castleford Tigers on Sunday (kick off 3.30pm).

Despite narrowly losing to Hull FC last Sunday, Giants have continued to improve since ending their mid-season dip against London Broncos two weeks ago and now Brown will look to take further strides forward at The Probiz Coliseum;

"The performance against Hull was much better and we need to focus on that form and that progress that we have made in the past two weeks,

"We have progressed from week one to week two and if there are times where we can control our performance and improve a little bit, then that is the key for us. It's not whether we play at Castleford or who we play, it's more about what we can do to get a bit better again and that is what we are really concerned about.

"There are a number of small things we will need to tidy up and if we get that along with the commitment that we got the other day, then things will be looking a lot more rosy than they were three weeks ago."

As Huddersfield seem to be striding back to their best, Castleford look to be stuttering, and their latest upset came at the hands of a 40-10 defeat by Super League strugglers Widnes Vikings on Monday.

But Brown is not looking to read much in to that and he knows that seven days is enough time to turn a team around;

"They haven't been winning their games, they have had some off-field stuff and they have obviously got some good players out injured which has beaten away at their depths. And like a lot of sides, once they lose three or four players, the next people to come in are quite young and inexperienced.

"They had a tough night on Monday, but a week is a long time in footie and we know where we were three weeks ago and we know where we are now.

"It's not so much about working hard, it's about being a little bit smarter and when the penny drops in some different areas, then you can improve rather dramatically as we have shown in the past few weeks ourselves."

Giants forwards David Faiumu and David Fa'alogo both pulled out of Exiles duty earlier this week, but Brown is confident they will be fit for Castleford.

Leroy Cudjoe, Danny Brough and Eorl Crabtree made up the Giants-cohort included in the England line-up to face the Exiles at the Galpharm Stadium last night, and prior kick-off, the Giants chief understood the injury risks they faced but said it was all part and parcel of Rugby League;

"Hopefully the boys go and play well and stay fit,

"Injuries are a part of the game and obviously you don't want people to get hurt at any stage. Every side wants their better players fit for the bigger games towards the end of the season but the rattle is that the better players are the better players because they represent their country and they are playing bigger games. Fingers crossed that they play well and that they come through okay."

Your thoughts?