Halifax will head into their new Kingstone Press Championship campaign under a heavy Huddersfield influence, writes Chris Roberts.
And that will add extra spice to the Fax v Giants pre-season clash at The Shay on Sunday, January 25.
While the Super League Giants could include Halifax-born Scott Grix , Joe Wardle, Luke Robinson, Jacob Fairbank, Kruise Leeming and Jake Connor in the big derby meeting, former Giants prop Richard Marshall and Huddersfield-born winger Marlon Billy will be aiming to plot their visitors’ downfall.
On top of that, Halifax could hand a start to former Giants winger Alex Brown, who has arrived from Leigh Centurions.
Former Warrington Wolves No2 Marshall moved quickly to bring Billy on board when he took over as head coach at Halifax at the end of last season.
The duo were teammates at Swinton at the end of their playing careers, and with Billy having moved on to become conditioner and then assistant to head coach Ian Watson at the Lions, as well as being player-coach at Pennine League Slaithwaite Saracens, Marshall knows he has the right man at his side.
