He may have the world at feet – but Giants superstar Jermaine McGillvary remains one of the most grounded rugby league players around, despite a CV that’s growing impressively by the year.
At the age of 27, the blockbusting winger has already finished as the competition’s top tryscorer (with 27 in 2015), earned a place in the Super League Dream Team, made his full England debut in the 2-1 Test-series triumph over New Zealand and was then named in the World XIII.
For good measure, he also claimed a whole host of 2015 club awards at the Giants.
As a result, the Huddersfield-born star’s confidence has never been higher.
And the big question is whether McGillvary can build on this stunning list of credentials in 2016.
It’s something the former England Knights ace is desperate to do – and if he does, the modest McGillvary knows his Giants teammates would deserve a great deal of the credit.
“After what I achieved in 2015, my confidence and self-belief has never been higher,” he said.
“To round off an amazing year by being named in the World XIII was an unbelievable feeling.
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“But while I’m now prepared to back my own ability a lot more, I don’t think anything else about me has changed.
“I’m still the same old person, and there’s no way I’d ever allow all these accolades to go to my head. For a start, I know I’m far from being the perfect player and far from the best, and when that’s the case you know you need to keep working to try and make yourself even better.
“And I also know the rest of the boys wouldn’t allow me to get carried away with the way things have gone.
“Obviously, as soon as I returned to pre-season training, the lads were congratulating me on my England debut and being selected in the World XIII.
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“But it didn’t take long at all before they were starting to rip in to me and giving me stick, which is what I always expected. Even the younger kids were at it.
“On the first day back, young Nathan Mason was smashing straight into me and laughing about how I wasn’t part of the Elite England club now.
“It was his way of welcoming me back to reality, and the Giants, and I thought it was brilliant!
“To be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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“I know a lot of my success is down to the help and support my Giants teammates have given me over the years.
“In that time, they’ve helped me and I’d like to think I helped them.
“Everything we’ve achieved as individuals is down to what we’ve achieved as a team.
“My aim for the season ahead – just like it’s been for any season – is to improve on the way I played the previous year.
“That’s the same again this time around.
“There are areas of my game that need to be improved, and that’s what I’m striving to do.
“During my time with England last autumn, I watched and learned a lot from the players around me and I’ve tried to take them all on board, because I know how much that’ll help my game.
“Next year I want to be better!”
