HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS chief Paul Anderson has heaped praise on the club’s backroom staff for the condition of his players ahead of Saturday’s Super League XVIII trip to Castleford Tigers.
While many top-flight clubs have been struggling for numbers during the Easter period – with their squads having been decimated – Huddersfield have had no such problems.
They rested players during the shock Good Friday defeat at Salford and were able to rest others as they bounced back in spectacular style with Easter Monday’s 62-6 11-try home destruction of Widnes Vikings.
Anderson expects all 17 who were in action that day to be available at the weekend, while the likes of forwards Stuart Fielden, Jacob Fairbank, Anthony Mullally and Ukuma Ta’ai are all eager to step back in.
And the Giants chief believes the club’s medical and conditioning staff deserve a lot of the credit for giving him a major selection headache.
“When the team is doing well, it’s usually the players and coaching staff who take all of the credit,” said Anderson. “Unfortunately, the medical and strength and conditioning staff in the background often get overlooked. They don’t get the credit they deserve.
“Personally, I believe that’s a massive shame, because they do such a fantastic job.
“And it’s at this time of the year when they really prove their worth. Easter is a very tough period, but they’ve done a magnificent job in putting things in place to help us recover and get us back on the field really quickly.
“That’s obviously a process they’re going through again this week to make sure we’re in the best possible shape for Cas. I can’t thank them enough, really.”
Eorl Crabtree has been charged with making a Grade B dangerous throw in the 43rd minute of the fixture at Salford City Reds on Good Friday. Crabtree has until 11am today to submit an ‘Early Guilty’ plea. The incident was viewed by the RFL Match Review Panel.
