Huddersfield Giants' Joe Wardle is confident playing in the biggest game of his career will help him produce his best Super League form.
The in-form centre will again be expected to play a key role as the Giants look to tighten their grip at the top of the Super League XVIII table with victory at second-placed Wigan Warriors on Friday night.
The 21-year-old is already rated as one of the best three-quarters in the competition, and Wardle knows he’ll enhance that reputation by producing the goods on Friday.
“I can’t wait for Friday,” said Wardle, who is forming a lethal left-side partnership with back-row forward Brett Ferres and winger Aaron Murphy.
“When you take up the game, you dream of playing in top-of-the-table games in front of big crowds at places like Wigan.
“We know if we go there and win, we’ll put ourselves in a fantastic position to lift the League Leaders Shield. Obviously, it’s not going to be easy, but we know we can do it – and I know we’ll be ready.
“Personally, this is the biggest game of my career so far, but I’m really looking forward to it. I absolutely love testing myself against the best and showing what I can do on the biggest stages, and this stage is massive.
“If you can’t rise to the occasion at a time like this, you never will.”
Super League chiefs, meanwhile, have added to the level of interest by announcing the referee will be James Child, controversial as video ref in Wigan’s last match.
