GIANTS coach Jon Sharp will be looking for Paul Jackson to carry on from where Jim Gannon left off as Huddersfield prepare to do battle with Widnes at the Galpharm on Friday (8.00).
In-form prop Gannon has been ruled out of the Sky TV contest with a hamstring injury picked up in the closing stages of Sunday's 54-10 defeat to world champions Leeds.
That was a game which fellow front-rower Jackson was forced to miss after being struck down by tonsilitis.
But the 26-year-old has now made a full recovery and will be expected to fill the hole left by Gannon.
"Losing Jim is a blow, there's no question about that," admitted Sharp, who lost his captain and another main pack player in Ben Roarty with a rib injury the week before.
"He has been our best player so far this season, and he was again outstanding against Leeds at the weekend.
"Fortunately, we'll have Paul back for us on Friday, which is good news.
"And I'll be looking for Paul to take the lead shown by Jim.
"Jacko has been very solid for us so far this year, and I'll be looking for him to produce a big game."
Meanwhile, Newcastle Falcons rugby union centre Stephen Jones is this week considering a provisional offer to join the Giants for the rest of the season.
Jones has spent the last two weeks training with the Super League squad and scored a hat trick in the 42-16 Senior Academy win at Featherstone last week.
* League Express editor Martyn Sadler is the guest speaker at the Senior Giants meeting in the Panasonic Suite of the Galpharm Stadium tomorrow (2.15).
IN-FORM Giants prop Jim Gannon will miss Friday's Super League clash against Widnes Vikings at the Galpharm (8.00) after suffering a hamstring injury in the defeat by Leeds.
