THE telephones have been red hot at the Giants since Ken Davy’s intriguing free admission offer and promise of a big announcement at the Catalans game on Saturday.
Managing director Richard Thewlis revealed suggestions had been many and varied as to what the chairman has planned for the club – the latest rumour being a swoop for Paul Sculthorpe, who is being released by St Helens.
“We have been inundated with inquiries,” said Thewlis, who encouraged as many people as possible to take up the free admission offer for the 7.30 kick-off.
“Sky TV have been crawling all over us trying to get an exclusive on what the chairman’s announcement is going to be, but they have got nowhere.
“Then we’ve had ex players phoning up trying to get the inside line, current players quizzing us about it and lots of interest from abroad.
“The Sydney Morning Herald were on to us because there was a rumour over there about Darren Lockyer signing for the Giants and, after that, Fox Sports of Australia were desperate to find out what was going on.
“The truth of the matter is that nobody knows and the only way people will find out is by coming down here on Saturday and finding out first hand from Ken Davy when he makes his announcement at half time.”
Super League leaders Saints admitted they would not be offering their goalkicking loose forward Sculthorpe a new contract when his current deal runs out in November.
Sculthorpe’s recent wretched luck with injury and the constraints of the salary cap are thought to be behind Saints’ decision to release their club captain and two-time Man of Steel.
The 30-year-old has been linked with Super League new boys Salford City Reds, who have confirmed they had received an approach from Sculthorpe’s agent.
But it is thought that Salford coach Shaun McRae, the Australian who signed the teenage Sculthorpe for Saints from Warrington as a teenager in 1997, has dropped his interest.
Another possible location for Sculthorpe, who is currently in his testimonial year, could be Wakefield, where his brother Danny plays, and speculators will not rule out the Galpharm connection until Davy’s announcement is made.
Sculthorpe was appointed Saints captain in 2004, winning the Challenge Cup in 2004 and 2006 and the Super League Grand Final in 1999, 2000 and 2002.
But he has been plagued by a string of injuries in the last two years – including a knee reconstruction – and has managed only 12 games this season.
“We have been talking to Paul since June and have allowed him to speak to other clubs,” confirmed a Saints spokesman.
Since joining Saints for a then world-record fee of £370,000, he has scored 1,246 points in 259 appearances and is among a select band of players to have registered 100 tries and 100 goals in Super League.
He succeeded Andy Farrell as Great Britain captain in 2005.
