HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS are planning to give Stuart Fielden more minutes in Saturday’s Super League XVIII opener at St Helens – if selected.
The former Great Britain prop’s time on the field was limited during last Sunday’s 36-12 home trial triumph over Widnes Vikings.
He was restricted to two 15-minute spells on his Giants debut, with his second-half showing offering tremendous promise.
But with the 33-year-old front-rower having hardly played over the past few years because of a major knee injury and torn pectoral muscle, Anderson has made it clear he’s managing his former Bradford Bulls teammate carefully.
“The plan for Stuart all along has been to hold him back and hold him back,” said Anderson.
“Because he’s only faced Super League opposition a couple of times over the past few years.
“It’s a case of easing him back in.
“He did okay in his first match for us against Widnes the other week, and it’s now a case of him building on what he did.
“As the season progresses we want to see more and more of Stuart Fielden, and that process starts now. It’s just a case of managing him sensibly and, if we get that right, we know how important he’s going to be to this team.”
Fielden’s place in the side to face Saints is still far from nailed on, however.
Although the new arrival from Wigan Warriors started the game against Widnes alongside senior prop Eorl Crabtree, fellow new front-row signing Craig Kopczak seems certain to have a key role after making a massive pre-season impression, while Larne Patrick and Anthony Mullally are also vying for prop roles.
