Huddersfield Giants coach Paul Anderson is challenging fit-again Kyle Wood to re-discover his top 2014 Super League form.

The 25-year-old will take over the hooker role from the rested Luke Robinson for tomorrow’s trip to Leeds Rhinos (8.00).

It will be Wood’s first competitive outing since he suffered a serious knee injury during last July’s home win over Catalans Dragons.

But having made a full recovery from a major knee reconstruction and proved his fitness with two man-of-the-match performance in trial games for dual-registration club Oldham, Anderson feels the time is right to put him back in.

“Woody’s ready,” confirmed Anderson.

“He looked sharp in his first Oldham trial game against Leigh and was good again up at Barrow the following week. I went up to see that game, and Woody, Scott Grix and Michael Lawrence all stood up well.

“They all needed to get those games under their belt to test themselves after spending the winter in rehabiliation (Grix was recovering from major shoulder surgery and Lawrence a wrist operation).

“They were belted about in the trials, which is something you can’t really replicate in training.

“They were nursing sore bodies as a result, but the fact they’ve come through relatively unscathed shows they’re ready.

“And for Woody, in particular, it’s going to be a big moment tomorrow night, because he’s been out since last July.

“At the time he picked up his injury, he was probably our best nine.

“I remember he was absolutely killing it against Catalans, and he then made a break, took a left step and his knee went.

“But if he can get back to the level of form he was showing before he suffered that injury – which is what we all want to see – we’d be delighted.”

And Anderson has revealed the fact Wood has taken over from Robinson isn’t because the Giants vice-captain has been dropped.

“It’s not that at all,” added the Huddersfield chief.

“For starters, he is carrying a few knocks, but on top of that his wife gave birth to their third child on the eve of round one, and the fact they’re all under three-years-old means it’s been a bit of a demanding time for Robbo.

“He is a warrior and a battler and has kept on training and playing throughout that time.

“But all this has started to take its toll on him, particularly as he’s also had to contend with the transition of playing back in the middle (from scrum half to hooker), so we believe it’s only right we look after him. “In hindsight, he probably shouldn’t have played this year, but we know the decision to give hiom a bit of a break right now will be better for Robbo and the Giants in the longer term.

“We know when he does get back playing, we’ll see him fit and ready to play.”

Rhinos: Hardaker, Briscoe, Watkins, Moon, Hall, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Aiton, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Sinfield, S Ward, Achurch, Cuthbertson, Sutcliffe, Singleton, Walters.

Giants: McGillvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, Murphy, Brough, Crabtree, Lunt, Huby, Ferres, Hughes, Bailey, Lawrence, Kopczak, Wood, Ta’ai, Broughton, Mullally, Ellis, Connor.

Referee: Phil Bentham.

Video referee: James Child.