HUDDERSFIELD Giants should be confident of making a winning start in their opening Senior Academy grading game against Castleford at The Jungle tomorrow (2.30).

While the Giants are able to call on several of their Super League squad men, the newly-relegated Tigers have been involved in a re-building process and may find life difficult on the Academy front.

Leading the Giants challenge this weekend will be vastly-experienced prop Mick Slicker, who should prove a star at this level.

But also included in the pack as coach Lee St Hilaire's side look for the perfect start is Slicker's senior teammate Jason Southwell.

And their impact up front should provide the ideal platform for another Super League squad man, Thomas Hemingway, to work his magic from the stand-off position.

St Hilaire hands a debut at centre to top Shaw Cross prospect Richard Squires, who was a BARLA England Under 18 tourist two years ago.

And named on the bench are England Student internationals Scott Housten and Richard Hulme.

Huddersfield need to win tomorrow to put themselves in a strong position to qualify for the Academy Championship, with grading fixtures still to come against Featherstone, Hull and Bradford.

Huddersfield Giants: Hull; George (M), Squires, Robinson, George (L), Hemingway, Mennell; Southwell, Clare, Slicker, Gledhill, Hutchinson, George (S). Subs (from): Hulmes, Holdsworth, Housten, Williams, Garside.