Jermsine McGillvary expects the fear of Middle 8s failure to bring the very best out of the Giants.
Huddersfield will open their seven-match series to avoid Super League relegation at Salford Red Devils a week on Sunday (August 7) and face Championship club Featherstone Rovers in their first home game seven days later.
After finishing bottom of the table at the end of the regular Super League XXI season, World XIII winger McGillvary knows the confidence of the squad has taken a heavy hit.
But he also knows the seriousness of the Middle 8s situation could provide the Giants with a much-needed jolt to wake them up from their 2016 slumber.
“I think everyone is now starting to realise how serious this situation could be if we don’t get our act together,” said the 27-year-old current Super League Dream Team member, who is hoping to shrug off the quad-muscle injury that kept him out of the side that suffered the narrow 34-30 defeat at Warrington on Saturday and be fit for the trip to Salford.
“It’s alright people saying this squad is too good to go down, but these are the same people who said this squad is too good to finish bottom of Super League – but we just have done!
The Giants' season in pictures below
“There’s no doubt relegation is a very real possibility if we don’t pull our finger out, and no-one at the Giants wants to contemplate that at all. Our livelihoods are at stake.
“I’m sure a fair few of us would be able to stay in Super League with
another club if the unthinkable were to happen, but not one of us is thinking like that at all.
“We all love being at this club and playing in the same team together. The bond between us is incredible, and there’s no doubt the thought of losing all that is hitting some of the boys very hard.”
