KEITH MASON is hoping to be rewarded for making the toughest decision of his career by having a superb 2007 with the Giants.

The 24-year-old prop is still smarting from missing this year's Powergen Challenge Cup final against St Helens at Twickenham because of a hamstring strain.

The injury also forced him to sit out the final three games of the Super League season.

But having now fully recovered from injury, Mason (right) is hoping to erase the bitter memories of 2006 by enjoying a quality Super League XII.

As well as suffering Challenge Cup final heartache, Mason started this year out in the cold at Castleford Tigers before his move to the Giants.

And he then missed several games mid-season due to a foot injury.

As a result, Mason believes he deserves some luck next year.

"I don't think God liked me much last season!" he confessed.

"I had an awful start to the year with my experience at Castleford, but I thought it was the end to all my troubles when I joined the Giants.

"To a large extent it was, because I love it here. But just when I thought everything was going my way again, I picked up the hamstring injury on the eve of the Challenge Cup final.

"It happened in one of our final training runs. I felt it go when I started to sprint, and I feared the worst.

"It was definitely improving as the final itself drew near, and I was given the final choice myself as to whether I was fit to play or not.

"Obviously, deep down, I was absolutely desperate to play, especially as the final was against my old club.