GIANTS chief Nathan Brown is hoping the Leeds Road sportsbarn will be his club’s trump card at the start of Super League XVI.
While many of Huddersfield’s top-flight rivals have been unable to put in quality pre-season work because of the snow, there’s been no such problems for Brown and his men.
Both the skills sessions and fitness work have been taking place under the roof of the barn’s artificial pitch.
And that’s left Brown feeling happy with life.
“If we hadn’t had this facility, we’d have been in a fair bit of strife,” admitted Brown.
“At this stage of the season you want to be putting in some quality work and we’re in a position to do just that.
“The staff down at the barn have been pulling out all the stops to make sure we don’t miss any sessions, and I can’t thank them enough for that. They have been fantastic.
“We know that next season is going to probably be the most competitive.
“Those clubs at the top have strengthened, while the signs suggest some of the sides that struggled last year could also be stronger.
“As a result, it’s important you get some good groundwork done now and find yourself in as good a shape as possible at the start of the season.
“You always want to get off to a solid start.”
For Brown’s Giants that starts with the Super League XVI opener against Warrington Wolves in Cardiff as part of the Magic Weekend on February 12.
And apart from England Four Nations hero Luke Robinson, who has now undergone shoulder surgery, the Galpharm chief is hoping he will have a full-strength squad at his disposal for the season’s start.
“We still expect to have Luke back a month into the season,” added the head coach.
“But we’re hopeful everyone else will be in the frame for that first game.
“Compared to this time last year, we’re in excellent shape.”
