Huddersfield Giants centre Jordan Turner is looking forward to a fresh start to his career in 2018.
The Oldham-born player, who has also operated at loose forward and stand off, will be 29 in January and he is eager to make a big impact for head coach Rick Stone’s side next season.
After signing for the Giants following his release by NRL outfit Canberra Raiders last term, he is looking forward to his first Giants pre-season.
“Last year was pretty difficult for me, but I’m looking forward to having a fresh start this year,” said Turner.
“I am getting to know the boys more and how they play by building up some little combinations will help benefit my game and the other lads games.
“I think a full pre-season with the lads will really help me out a lot.”
Turner’s chances to impress in the second half of the 2017 campaign were curtailed by a hamstring injury, but he is feeling fit for the fray.
“I’m feeling really good. I came back in to train a couple of weeks early and trained with the young lads because I don’t like training by myself and I was missing the boys,” explained Turner.
“It’s a bit of maintenance at the moment, but I’m one of the older lads now so I’m just getting looked after a bit.
“In the couple of weeks that I did with the young lads they got ripped pretty hard because they try to test you pretty hard to see what your mental toughness is like – it took me back to when I was 18!
“The young boys did really well and we’ve got some young lads that could really push the first-graders all the way to getting a spot.
“Pre-season is pre-season and I’ve learned that you have to see it as a way to improve yourself rather than a punishment then it makes it a lot easier.”
After last season’s stronger performance in the second half of the season, Turner is expecting the Giants to improve on their eighth place finish in the last campaign.
“When we’ve got a full complement we’re a force to be reckoned,” said Turner.
“With players like Jake Mamo, who really showed how good he is last year, and Sebastine Ikahihifo, who in my opinion should have been a candidate for the Man of Steel award, we are strong.
“With the calibre of player that we’ve got to come back into the team, if we get things right over the off-season and the early part of next season, then we should be in good stead.”
And all Giants followers will be expecting more impressive performances from their sextet of World Cup players Scotland’s Dale Ferguson and Danny Brough, Ireland’s Ollie Roberts and Italy’s Shannon Wakeman, Ukuma Ta’ai who reached the last four with Tonga, and England’s newest rugby league star Jermaine McGillvary.
“I caught all the England games and I’ve heard really good things about Ollie Roberts and Dale Ferguson,” said the former Salford, Hull and St Helens player.
“For me ‘Jez’ was one of the players of the tournament, and we just want to get him back into training.
He’s shown just how important he is, not just to us but in a team full of England’s best, and he’s been a stand out.
“It’s almost expected of Jerry and now he has shown what he can do on the world stage he’s really opened everyone’s eyes.”
