WHITEHAVEN fans will see a new-look Gregg McNally when he makes a first return to the Recreation Ground with the Super League Giants tomorrow (2.00).
The 19-year-old scrum half moved to West Yorkshire at the end of last season, when he was Haven’s top tryscorer while on loan from the Giants.
Since then he has piled on up to two stones in just four months under head conditioner Mark Andrews’ fitness regime.
And McNally is confident Haven fans will also see an improved player following his switch to full-time training.
“I’ve put on about a stone-and-a-half, maybe two stones, and I now feel more confident in the tackle,” said the teenager, who was a founder member of the Haven Scholarship Scheme from the age of 12.
“As soon as I was told I’d been playing tomorrow I was really excited. I can’t wait to play. I feel I’ve improved and you get lots of tips from top quality coaches like Nathan Brown, who’s absolutely fantastic.
“So this weekend is the chance to go out and show what sort of player I now am. I know it’s going to seem a bit weird playing against my old club with a different team, but that adds to the excitement.
“We have field sessions and gym sessions nearly every day, which I think have really helped my fitness and, after playing at Batley the other week (a young Giants side were beaten 30-12 on January 3), this is another great chance to test myself out against strong opposition.
“I’ve been impressed with the way Haven have been going about their business in pre-season and they’ve signed quality players like Dylan Skee and Mick Govin, and a few amateurs such as Richard Farrer.
“I expect them to give us a really tough challenge.”
Former England Academy half-back McNally will once again be one of the most experienced members of Huddersfield’s squad this weekend, leading a Giants side almost identical to the one that turned out against the Bulldogs.
And Giants head of youth performance Damian McGrath knows this is a fantastic opportunity for the youngsters to build on the solid work they produced at Mount Pleasant two weeks ago.
“This is another great chance for us to build on what was a good performance against Batley,” said McGrath.
“I’m sure it will be a tremendous test of character taking a trip up to Cumbria to face a side in Whitehaven who are a big, powerful unit and are always strong at Championship level.
“We don’t consider this to be a second string side, there are a number of players in this squad who have benefited from full-time training and are in Nathan Brown’s thoughts in terms of pathway to the Super League. It is certainly a squad that is packed full of potential.
“And that obviously includes Gregg McNally, whose appearance against his former club is bound to create a great deal of interest.
“I’m sure there will be a bit of pressure on him because of this, but I think he’ll deal with that well and look to take the pressure off himself with his performance.
“It was a high-level move for him to come to a Super League club, but we believe he is a young boy with tremendous potential and will thrive in the full-time environment.”
McNally is one of several players in this weekend’s line-up who has been training full-time with the Giants’ Super League squad, the others being Elliott Hodgson, Greg Johnson, Adam Walker, Jamie Cording and Jacob Fairbank.
Giants: E Hodgson, G Johnson, Fletcher, Harrop, A Brown, Worthington, McNally, Walker, Parkinson, Milburn, Tasker-Howard, Cording, Fairbank, Akaidere, Whiteley, Davies, Murphy, Fox, Z Johnson, Shepherd, Briggs, Farnsworth.
