Huddersfield Giants make use of state-of-the-art equipment at University of Huddersfield

Huddersfield Giants Head Physio Dave O’Sullivan believes the squad’s use of the University of Huddersfield’s new state-of-the-art facilities will help his team gain valuable information on the condition of players this season.

Paul Anderson’s men made use of the University’s recently built £250,000 Biomechanics and Physiology laboratories yesterday, with the players tested on their muscle strength.

The players also used the ‘Bod Pod’, a machine which gives the exact percentages of muscle mass and body fat for each individual.

O’Sullivan thinks the Giants’ access to this kind of technology will help the team’s planning as the new Super League season draws nearer.

“The exercise at the University of Huddersfield was all about our secondary testing,” said O’Sullivan.

“We test the players in the first week of pre-season and then we test them again now during the first week of training after Christmas.

“The session will essentially devise our rehabilitation programme and movement preparation before each of our training sessions going forward.

“The advantage of using the facilities at the University of Huddersfield is that it will allow us to do the normal testing we would at the Giants gym, along with the kinetic shoulder testing and the ‘Bod Pod’, which is all to do with testing the body fat of the individual.

“The facilities provided will help us to receive valuable information, especially regarding the shoulder joint.”

The University of Huddersfield’s Louisa Horner, who is the BSc Exercise Science Course Leader, was equally pleased to be joining forces with the Giants, who had a training camp in Portugal last week.

“We are really excited about working with Huddersfield Giants,” she said. “At a time when the University has invested so much in brand new Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology labs, as well as the sports facilities in the brand new Student Central, it seems fitting that we are collaborating with a team of high-calibre athletes.”

Wales international Rhodri Lloyd has become the eighth close-season departure from Super League champions Wigan after agreeing a season-long loan deal with Widnes.

The 20-year-old centre or second rower, who played for Wales in the World Cup, made just two appearances for the Warriors in 2013 when he spent most of the time playing under dual registration with partnership clubs Leigh and South Wales Scorpions.

Lloyd also had a loan spell with London Broncos and played for them against Wigan in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.