Jacob Fairbank is the only member of the Huddersfield Giants’ senior squad who could be unavailable for the start of the 2014 Super League season.

The 23-year-old back-row forward suffered a serious shoulder injury during on-loan club Batley Bulldogs’ Championship semi-final triumph at Featherstone Rovers in September.

Fairbank underwent surgery a couple of days later in a bid to be back in action for the minor Super League champions as soon as possible.

He’ll be able to join the rest of the squad for the pre-season training camp in Portugal on January 4 and could be in a position to take part in a number of the planned sessions. But head coach Paul Anderson admits it’s touch and go over whether Fairbank could be in contention for the 2014 top-flight opener at Super League champions Wigan Warriors on Friday, February 7.

“We’re looking forward to going to camp with the full squad,” said Anderson.

“And we’re expecting that squad to be in pretty good shape.

“All our World Cup boys will be back by then, and hopefully feeling refreshed after a well-earned break.

“We’ll also have a lot of the squad who underwent post-season surgery coming out of their rehabilitation programmes at that stage.

“So we’re looking forward to putting in a quality week’s work.”