SEVERAL Huddersfield Giants players were keeping their fingers crossed that they were in the 40-man Great Britain training squad named today.

Lions head coach Brian Noble and assistant Jon Sharp - the Giants chief - were ready to name Paul Sculthorpe as the successor to rugby union signing Andy Farrell as Great Britain captain.

But also being named was the training squad who will prepare to face Australia and New Zealand in this Autumn's Gillette Tri-Nations tournament.

Sharp was obviously sworn to secrecy over the make-up of the initial squad.

But it is believed that a number of Giants players were in the reckoning, underlining the solid start the club have made to the Super League season.

The favourites to be included were full-back Paul Reilly and stand-off Chris Thorman, who have both caught the eye already this campaign.

Reilly was the man-of-the-match for England in their European Nations Cup triumph over Ireland last October and earned rave reviews for his hat-trick display against Wigan in front of the Sky TV cameras last month.

Thorman has also shown some impressive form, and the fact he was in last season's Great Britain training squad should count in his favour.

Also coming into consideration was Eorl Crabtree, who at 22, has age on his side for a prop forward and was another to impress with England in the European Nations Cup.

All was being revealed at Brighouse, as well as details about further sponsorship of the Great Britain team.

World Club champions Leeds Rhinos were expected to figure significantly in the squad, with as many as 10 players in contention.

Those included Rob Burrow, who scored a hat trick in Leeds' 44-14 Super League victory over Huddersfield at Headingley on Friday, and Kevin Sinfield, who was controversially left out last time around.

Unfortunately for his club, Sharp saw for himself just how well Burrow is playing right now, but he admitted it's good news for Great Britain.

"There are some quality players coming through right now," said the Giants coach.

"I'm not going to dismiss my players, but, without being rude to them, the Leeds players have come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years."

* RFL match official development manager Geoff Berry will be the guest speaker at the Senior Giants meeting in the Galpharm Stadium Football Trust Suite tomorrow (2.15).