GIANTS chief executive Ralph Rimmer hopes Friday's monthly meeting of Super League clubs will provide the platform for him to shape the Huddersfield squad for 2004.

Wigan's capture of Castleford half-back Danny Orr on a four-year deal is a clear signal that the game's richer clubs are already recruiting.

But other top-flight teams must wait for settlement of the new BSkyB deal, which holds the key to their spending power within the salary cap rules.

The satellite channel have raised their offer to £55.5m over the next five years, following the rejection of an initial £53m by the Rugby Football League.

But Sky are still insisting they want rights to international games as well as Super League.

That would leave the BBC with just the Powergen Challenge Cup, with talk of only the quarter-finals onwards being screened.

That's a concern for Rimmer, who explained: "It's not just a case of the money, because the broader picture has to be considered.

"We have a responsibility to promote rugby league as a whole, and having just three weekends of action on mainstream television is far from ideal.

"But on the other side of the coin, there is no alternative channel doing battle with Sky for rights to Super League, so we're in a delicate situation.

"It's an important debate, but hopefully there will be some progress at Friday's meeting.

"It's vital we reach agreement with Sky sooner rather than later because that will decide what we will have for squad building.

"It's ironic, because thanks to our recent great results, this is the first time we have been able to plan for the following season with any confidence of which division we'll be in, yet we are being hampered by uncertainty."

Clubs can spend £1.8m per season on players' contracts or half their relevant income, whichever is the lower figure.

Six of the Tony Smith's current Giants squad are out of contract at the end of this season: Darren Fleary, Jamie Bloem, Jarrod O'Doherty, Steve McNamara, Jim Gannon and Graham Holroyd.

Huddersfield, who visit St Helens on Friday, have a Senior Academy clash with them at Fartown tomorrow (7.30).