Hi, Andy here.

Well the most exciting part of the season is upon us. With the regular games over and our third-place position secured, the play-offs are here.

We have put ourselves in an enviable position, one that everybody at the club should be proud of.

It isn’t long since that at this point in the season, Giants players and fans would have been looking back at another year gone by with more than a hint of disappointment.

Sure, we could say there are games we should have won but didn’t, but we have had a pretty successful year so far and hopefully we can continue our achievements over the next month, starting by getting our first win in the play-offs.

This year has been a year of firsts.

To start off we played our first Challenge Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium, and what an experience that was!.

I’m sure everyone who made the trip down enjoyed the spectacle and the experience of visiting the stadium.

I know the lads that played in the final are keen to get back to playing on the big stage, but they are also keen to make amends for not performing like we should have, and have done most of the year.

Another first for the Giants is our third place in Super League.

At the start of the season I, like many people, would have bitten your hand off if I’d been offered such a finish.

Another first this year were the England debuts of Scott (Moore) and Eorl (Crabtree) in the mid-season international friendly.

From the first club friendly game this year I knew Eorl would be playing for England.

Eorl has been so close during his career to making his full international appearance and has fully deserved his international call.

Scott’s well-deserved England debut was a double first. As well as making his first appearance for his country, it was the first time an on-loan player had made their international debut.

This year has also been the first that the Giants have had two players in the Dream Team at the end of the year – both Scott and Brett Hodgson having earned the prestigious award.

I think this year’s achievement should also be celebrated, perhaps the fact it hasn’t been overplayed is because this year has been successful in many ways with the Challenge Cup final, the play-offs and the international call ups.

So putting it like that I think it’s good we are beginning to enjoy and even expect success.

Having said all this, the season is far from over and I hope to be able to talk about more firsts within the next month.

Hopefully I will be able to list a first win in the play-offs, a first Grand Final appearance and win, a first Huddersfield Giants Man of Steel and a first Huddersfield Giants Coach of the Year.

We will see....