Huddersfield Giants expected to be a major force in the new Under 19s competition

HUDDERSFIELD Giants are confident of making a positive impact in next season’s newly-formed Under 19s competition.

The Rugby Football League have decided to scrap the Under 18s Academy and Under 20s Valvoline Cup competitions and replace them with the new 19s division.

Under the rules of the competition, no over-age players will be allowed to play, whereas two could turn out in the 20s.

That means a number of potentially talented players could be lost to the professional game, with places in the Under 19s being so restricted.

But Giants Head of Youth Development Pete Riding is still positive about what the future could hold.

“There are drawbacks with the new competition, there’s no doubt about it,” said Riding. “But we, as a club, have always been a big believer that we should be sending players out on dual registration rather than playing them in the old Under 20s system, because they can develop so much more playing in the Championship.

“As a result, we have always placed more emphasise on our junior developments, and hopefully that’ll bear fruit next season.

“In last season’s Under 18s we were one of the most competitive sides and were winning some of our games 40-0 and 74-4, which was no good for anyone. It should be different in the Under 19s.

“This promises to be a great competition and should provide our players with just the sort of challenges they need at this stage of their careers.

“I think there should be quality encounters next year, and I expect the Giants to be up there challenging.”

And given the success of the Under 18s that should be well within their means.

“The amount of potential there will be in our 19s will be clear for everyone to see,” added Riding.

“We’ll have the likes of Peter Aspinall and Nathan Mason, who have just been handed full-time Super League contracts, while there are others who also have the ability to go on to even bigger and better things.

“I wouldn’t be surprise to see a healthy number of our Scholarship boys also coming to the fore next year, which is something we’ve always been striving to achieve.

“We’re lucky at the Giants that we’ve a board of directors and a chairman who are 100% behind our junior development programme.

“They can see the benefits they bring and that this is the way ahead.

“And it’s also rewarding to see so many top juniors now wanting to come and play at Huddersfield Giants.

“It’s a sign of how we’re developing at this level, and I believe it could hold the key to our future success.”