ENGLAND call-ups for nine of the squad will work wonders for the Giants over the course of this season.
That’s the confident prediction of versatile forward David Faiumu as the Galpharm club look to next Sunday’s home derby with Bradford Bulls and beyond.
Danny Brough, Eorl Crabtree, Leroy Cudjoe and Luke Robinson are linking up with the England elite training squad while, next week, Dale Ferguson, Michael Lawrence, Jermaine McGillvary, Larne Patrick and Shaun Lunt are with the Knights back-up squad.
It’s all good news for the Giants as far as Faiumu is concerned and he should know, having played 10 times for New Zealand, once for Samoa and 76 times for North Queensland Cowboys in the Australian NRL.
And he has set his heart on winning some silverware with Huddersfield before his newly-extended contract is up in 2013.
“We have high expectations at this club and the good thing is, after going as well as we did last season, that the younger guys here have got one more year’s experience and are one more year better for it,” he said.
“It means when you come up to the big games they know what to expect, and with nine of them being in these England squads it’s going to work wonders for our club and for our younger players coming through.
“It helps everyone. It is easy when you are playing with confident players because it makes your job easier.
“They feel good because they know they are playing well and you feel good because you know you can do your job off the back of that – so I’m sure these England lads will do wonders for us.”
The popular and talented 27-year-old from Wellington has been impressed with what he’s seen of homegrown products like Cudjoe, Lawrence and McGillvary coming through.
“I have to say that the best thing about all the young lads is that they’ve got good heads on their shoulders,” added Faiumu.
“They are good in that they don’t get ahead of themselves. I’ve seen a lot of guys in the game start out and think they’ve instantly made it, but that’s certainly not the case with any of ours.
“I’ve been here almost three years now, I’ve seen a lot of good young kids come through and they’ve all worked hard in training and fought hard to get places in the team.
“That makes us older guys work hard too because we know we’ve got these youngsters breathing down our necks and they certainly keep us on our toes.
“That’s good for the players and the club and it’s good to see everyone performing with confidence.”
Faiumu has no doubt the Giants – who included new men Ferguson and Jamie Simpson for the first time at The Stoop on Friday – have the ability to be successful.
“One of the reasons I signed here, and why I also signed an extended contract, is because I have the very good feeling that something big is on the way,” he explained.
“I would love to experience Wembley again, having gone through it in 2009 and finding it to be one of the highlights of my life, and to lift the trophy next time would be something special. Then again Old Trafford would be even bigger for the club, so these are the things which keep me going and why you do all the hard work in pre-season.”
