Huddersfield Giants head coach Rick Stone is looking to his young stars to step up to the plate in the 2018 Super League season.
The Giants will look to improve on scraping a top-eight finish last term, and for that to happen the Australian supremo will want to see the best from his emerging stars.
Two who have already grabbed the attention are second rower Ollie Roberts and centre Sam Wood.
The pair both scored tries in the opening Giants warm-up game ahead of the coming season, in the 32-22 home win over Championship outfit Dewsbury Rams – and the pair should feature again in the pre-season trip to Wakefield Trinity on Saturday (6pm).
For 23-year-old Roberts, who impressed playing for Ireland in the autumn World Cup competition , this year will be hugely important.
“This is probably the season that Ollie needs to cement his place in our starting 17, I would suggest,” said Stone.
“He will have derived plenty of confidence from his showing with Ireland in the World Cup against top players.
“He has certainly come back with a spring in his step.”
Stone clearly regards Roberts as being close to making the most of the abilities he has started to show on a regular basis in top-class competition.
“Ollie definitely has become fitter and his carrying ability is second to none,” added Stone.
“He can carry the football and be a handful for the opposition in attack – and be a handful for them in defence too.
“He knows he still has work to do developing his game, but it will be a big season for him.”
For 20-year-old Wood the aim is pretty much the same – to make sure he makes himself a fixture in the first-team squad.
“Sam Wood showed against Dewsbury what some of the younger guys have to offer the club ahead of next season,” said Stone.
“Sam has grown physically and he is a year older and is maturing in his game.
“He will have gained confidence from his dozen or so first- team games last season and that is great for us, because he provides extra competition for the centre spots.”
