Inspirational Giants captain Danny Brough knows it’s going to be almost impossible to achieve more individual accolades in 2014 than he did in 2013.
But there’s no way that’s going to stop him from trying!
When it came to domestic individual honours, the Scotland skipper swept all before him last season.
After guiding his club to a first league leaders’ title for 81 years, he was named the Super Man of Steel, which is awarded to the player deemed to have made the biggest impact in Super League, collected the prestigious Albert Goldthorpe Medal and was named the RL Writers Player of the Year in addition to picking up all the Giants’ individual awards.
The 30-year-old was also named in the Super League Dream Team before he led Scotland to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
As a result of those heroics on the international front, he was voted the world’s best stand-off by the Rugby League International Federation and was named on a three-man shortlist for the 2013 international player-of-the-year award.
He may have been pipped to that award by New Zealand’s Sonny Bill Williams, but the fact the Huddersfield man was challenging Williams and Australia’s Greg Inglis to be named the world’s best player underlined how big an impact Brough made in 2013.
And he’s determined not to let his standards slip in 2014 – because he knows how vital that will be to the Giants’ bid to build on last season’s Super League Leaders’ Shield success.
“Last season was without doubt the best of my career,” reflected a proud Brough. “It was an absolute honour to pick up so many individual awards, with the Super League Man of the Steel topping the lot, because that was chosen by fellow players.
“But it was also an honour to be named the Giants captain for the start of last season and an honour to lead such a fantastic group of players.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to lead them to success in the Super League play-offs or the Challenge Cup, and that did take a fair bit of the gloss off the season.
“Lifting the Super League Leaders’ Shield was an incredible feeling, and the fact it was the first time Huddersfield had finished top of the table for 81 years made it all the more special.
“But doing that has given us the taste for success, and we liked it.
“It felt amazing winning the League Leaders’ Shield, so we’ve had a bit of a feel for what it could be like to lift the Super League trophy or the Challenge Cup.
“We want to make sure that’s something we do next season. As a group, we’re 100% determined to do it.”
And Brough has no doubt it can be achieved, with new signings Chris Bailey, Jodie Broughton and Antonio Kaufusi making sure the Giants are in a stronger position to take the next gigantic step.
“I know we can do even better in 2014,” added Brough.
“Yes, it is going to be hard, because there are so many quality sides out there, but the signs are all really promising.
“Because of my World Cup commitments with Scotland, I didn’t start pre-season training with the Giants until after Christmas.
“But as soon as I walked back into the club I could see how hard the boys had been training and how much they’d all improved.
“It was immediately clear to me how much no-one was prepared to stand still, which is fantastic.
“If we just stand still, we know it’s not going to be anywhere near good enough next season.
“It’s vitally important we improve, and I know we will, with the new boys playing a big part in that process.
“Baloo felt there were a couple of areas where we needed to be stronger, so he’s gone out and done something about it.
“All three signings are quality, and there’s no doubt they’ve added to what’s already a great squad.
“I’m definitely proud to be the leader of that squad – especially as I know it’s one that can go on and achieve even more in the game.”
