ENGLAND Knights star Michael Lawrence has signed with the Giants for the next five years and promised: “I want to be part of a big success story.”
The 21-year-old centre has made 86 appearances for his home-town club and is ready to chalk No87 against St Helens tomorrow night.
“I’m really pleased I’ve secured my future at the Giants,” said Lawrence, contracted to the end of the 2016 season. “It is great to sign a long-term deal alongside many of the other boys and it shows that the club want to keep the team together for the long haul.
“That builds continuity and a bond and, hopefully, this can lead to some silverware in the future.
“I am really proud to be continuing to play for my home club and I am definitely happy here. I love Huddersfield, I never wanted to go anywhere else and I’m glad we could sort it all out.”
Giants coach Nathan Brown said: “Michael is a local player whose game just keeps improving.
“Both at centre and in the back row he does a really good solid job and, defensively, he is an exceptional player.
“He is a good lad and a good role model for other young players. His training standards are high and his off-field habits are as good as his on-field habits.
“He works hard on his game and his commitment and effort cannot be doubted.”
Club managing director Richard Thewlis said Super League rules meant homegrown players were critical to potential success.
“When you have a player who is an England Knight and is very experienced in his age bracket, then to keep him for the long term is an easy decision to make,” he said.
“Michael will get better and better at our club and for him to have long term security in what recent events show is an uncertain marketplace is great for him and his family.
“He has come through our academies and virtually by-passed reserves to become a Super League regular which is great credit to him.”
