Craig Huby believes the key to more Huddersfield Giants Super League XX success is to keep playing and training with smiles on faces.
Fourth-placed Huddersfield are looking to make it three top-flight triumphs on the trot with victory against leaders Leeds Rhinos at the John Smith’s Stadium on Thursday night (8.00).
The mood in the Giants camp is upbeat following the convincing wins at home to Catalans Dragons and away at Hull FC.
And in-form prop Huby knows that’s down to the positive approach of everyone at the club.
“This is a place where you can have a laugh and a joke, and I love that,” said the former Castleford Tigers favourite.
“And if that’s the mood that exists at training, it often shows with the performance on the field.
“It means the atmosphere during games is often positive, because there’s a more calm and relaxed feel about what you’re doing.
“That’s definitely been the case in our last two games against Catalans and Hull, and that’ll be the case again against Leeds on Thursday.
“We know Leeds are going to be desperate to get back to winning ways after they lost at home to Warrington last Friday (29-10), but we’re really looking forward to it. We can’t wait to get out there.”
But Huby knows his side is going to need to be at their best to secure a seventh success of the 2015 campaign so far.
“It was a pretty good performance against a decent Hull side the other night, and the aim this week is to make sure we build on that,” added the front-row forward.
“And that’s something we know we need to do, because Leeds are always going to be tough to beat.
“They’ve got a big pack rolling forward and have big outside backs who can really hurt you.
“But when we played them at their place a few months ago we weren’t that far away (the Rhinos snatched the contest 28-24 after Paul Aiton’s last-gasp try), and we know we’ve improved since then, so there’s no reason why we can’t beat them this time.”
The Giants are set to make few changes to their line-up to face the Rhinos.
But Kruise Leeming could be poised to make his first Super League appearance of the season.
The 19-year-old hooker has been included in Huddersfield’s 19-man squad to take the place of Luke Robinson, who is carrying a couple of niggles, in what is the only change to the squad on duty for last Friday’s 24-4 win at Hull FC.
And that means there’s no recall for on-loan Hull KR forward Jordan Cox, who missed the trip to the KC Stadium due to illness.
England forward Jamie Jones-Buchanan could be set to return to action for Leeds after being named in their 19-man squad.
Jones-Buchanan has missed the last five games since suffering a hamstring injury in the win at Catalans Dragons.
Giants: Grix, McGillvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, Murphy, Brough, Crabtree, Huby, Hughes, Lawrence, Kopczak, Wood, Ta’ai, Broughton, Mullally, Ellis, Connor, Johnson, Leeming.
Rhinos: Hardaker, Watkins, Moon, McGuire, Burrow, Aiton, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Sinfield, Ward, Delaney, Achurch, Cuthbertson, Sutcliffe, Singleton, Keinhorst, Mulhern, Handley.
Referee: Richard Silverwood.
