NEW Huddersfield Giants head coach Paul Anderson has made the recruitment of an established half-back a top priority – and it’s easy to see why.

With the mid-season departure of captain Kevin Brown, one of the squad’s main creative outlets had gone.

Although the skipper was playing primarily as a loose-forward, he continued to attack as a half-back, complimenting the work of fellow attacking pivots Danny Brough and Scott Grix.

But as soon as Brown left the scene to undergo ankle surgery ahead of his move to Widnes Vikings for 2013, the pressure on Brough and Grix immediately increased.

As an established half-back, it was easier for Brough to respond to that added challenge than for the versatile Grix.

Although his workrate and never-say-die attitude is arguably the greatest within the squad, Grix would be the first to admit that full-back is still his preferred place of work.

With the rise of Greg Eden, playing No1 next year isn’t a guarantee. A utility role for the goalkicking Grix may again be earmarked for him.

That could, of course, depend on whether Anderson is able to bring in a new scrum half or stand-off.

There was talk that man could be Bradford’s Luke Gale, but with the Bulls now guaranteed a place in Super League next season that interest appears to have cooled.

Anderson is the first to acknowledge getting hold of a quality half-back is no easy task – as former Giants coach Nathan Brown, who left Huddersfield with eight games of the season remaining ahead of his move to St Helens, they’re as rare as hen’s teeth! – but he knows a successful catch could make all the difference in the world for Super League XVIII.

With the undoubted strike power the Giants have out wide, the attacking midfield edge that was lacking so much in the final third of the season could quickly return – as long as the forwards can provide the initial platform.

Although Anderson has already recruited New Zealand Warriors’ Ukuma Ta’ai (a straight replacement for the departing David Fa’alogo), Castleford Tigers England back-rower Brett Ferres and young Widnes prop Anthony Mullally, the former Great Britain prop also wants to bring in another established pack man.

It’s a search that’s likely to have intensified in the wake of last week’s heavy play-off defeat at Hull FC, where the Giants were dominated physically.

That’s not happened too much this year, but when it does it can prove a painful experience. As well as the Hull defeat, the heavy loss at Warrington Wolves a fortnight earlier was a case in point.

Yet the Huddersfield Class of 2012 have still enjoyed some spectacular moments.

Winning 10 of their opening 12 Super League fixtures to sit proudly at the top of the table is something the fans will never forget, with the opening-day against-all-odds win at Wigan right up there.

There was also a late highlight as 12-man Huddersfield beat world club champions Leeds Rhinos 48-24 at the John Smith’s Stadium to secure a first League double over the Headingley club in over half-a-century.

In between, there have been a lot of highs and a lot of lows.

So what will 2013 bring?