Huddersfield Giants chief Paul Anderson has praised the club’s medical staff for getting Joe Wardle ready to play in double-quick time.

The in-form Huddersfield centre was expected to be sidelined for four weeks when he suffered ankle ligament damage during the 30-14 Super League defeat at Catalan Dragons a fortnight ago.

But Wardle has been named in tomorrow’s 19-man squad to face St Helens in the Tetley’s Challenge Cup tie of the fourth round at the John Smith’s Stadium (2.15).

And if he proves his fitness in this morning’s final run-through and takes his place in the starting line-up, it means he’ll be back in just two weeks.

“I can’t speak more highly of the way our medical staff have worked to get Joe into this position,” said Anderson, who is also without fellow strike centre Leroy Cudjoe with an ankle injury for at least four weeks.

“They’ve done an outstanding job, as has Joe for the way he’s worked to give himself every chance of playing.

“It was obviously a massive disappointment to lose Leroy to injury this week, but knowing Joe could be back so quickly has helped soften that particular blow.”

With Cudjoe definitely ruled out, there could be a centre opening for either Aaron Murphy or Jake Connor, who are both named in the 19 after missing out in last week’s home Super League defeat to Warrington.

But Anderson also has the option of keeping back-row forward Brett Ferres at centre or moving fellow forward Michael Lawrence back into the centre berth, where he began his professional career.

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