GIANTS Super League squad man Matthew Whittaker has joined National League I neighbours Halifax on a month's loan.

The powerful 22-year-old was due to have played in last night's Senior Academy side that easily beat Oldham 46-12 at Lockwood Park to maintain their unbeaten start to the First Division campaign.

But he was pulled out at the last minute in order to meet Fax football manager Paul Dixon and sign the necessary paperwork.

And that means Whittaker should make his debut at Whitehaven on Sunday.

"This move will give Matthew valuable first-team experience," said Giants football manager Stuart Sheard.

"It is a great opportunity for him, and we will obviously be monitoring his progress very closely between now and the end of his loan period at The Shay."

Whittaker is the second member of this season's Huddersfield Super League squad to move to Halifax.

He follows Ben Feehan, who was released by the McAlpine club last month and has now signed a permanent deal at The Shay.

Even without those two, the Giants - who included six Junior Academy players in their ranks - proved far too strong for their Lancastrian opponents last night.

Oldham did put up some serious resistance in the first half, with experienced scrum half John Hough leading the challenge, but fell away after the break as their hosts began to take complete control.

And leading the way was fit-again Paul White, who played the full 80 minutes in his first game back since suffering a broken left leg in the friendly against Castleford on January 30.

Slotting in at hooker to leave in-form Paul Mennell at scrum half, White was soon showing glimpses of the form which helped earn him several Super League starts towards the end of last season.

In the opening half he set up a try for Danny Samuel, and then after the break came even more into the contest.

He showed he has lost none of his pace by tracking back superbly to deny Oldham centre Andy Gorey a long-range try, landed three goals and then plunged over for a last-minute touchdown to mark a triumphant return.

Yet there was little to suggest in the opening stages that the final margin of victory would be so large.

The Giants shot into an 8-0 lead inside five minutes as Bolu Fagborun crossed for a try and Tony Williams added two goals.

But midway through the half Oldham levelled matters, with James Kirkland and Gorey crossing for unconverted scores.

That, however, was as close as the visitors got to victory.

In the 25th minute White popped up a pass for Samuel to score, Williams added the extras and the Giants had a lead they never looked like losing.

From 14-8 at the break, Huddersfield quickly extended their advantage, with Mennell, Fagborun, Marcus George, Neil Hutchinson, Jon Grayshon and White all crossing for scores.

Ben Rogers did grab an Oldham consolation, but overall this was a job well done.