RISING Giants star Danny Kirmond is relishing the chance to further his Super League education against one of the strongest packs in the competition.
The 22-year-old former Featherstone winger is again set to start on the bench as a substitute forward as Huddersfield host Warrington Wolves in front of the Sky TV cameras tomorrow night (6.00).
Kirmond knows he will be in for a physical tussle when he enters the fray in the second row.
But he is already excited about the prospect of going head-to-head with the likes of Great Britain prop Adrian Morley and tough Kiwi pack trio Paul Rauhihi and the Anderson brothers, Louis and Vinnie.
“I’ve enjoyed facing the best players in Super League, and I’m looking forward to facing some more this weekend,” said Kirmond, who joined the Giants from National League Featherstone at the start of the season.
“The best way of improving your game is testing yourself against the top players in the competition, and it’s obviously going to be another massive test tomorrow.
“But I’m already excited about the challenge, and I hope I can build on the way I played in our last home game when we beat Bradford.
“One of my main aims this season is to keep improving on every game I play, because I’m the first to admit there are still a number of areas I need to work on.
“But, overall, I feel I’m adjusting well to the full-time environment, competing in Super League and adapting to the switch from wing to second row.
“Obviously it’s a lot more physical in the forwards, but I think that’s come a little bit naturally with me.
“I’ve got a lot bigger since I started full-time training and it was just a case of getting used to playing there, in terms of being in the right place from a positional sense.
“I’m developing more techniques in my game, especially in defence which I’m working on really hard in training just to get up to speed with it in the middle of the park.
“To be honest, it’s really going far better than I could ever have imagined at the start of the year when I set an original target of making five Super League appearances this season. I’ve already made seven (all from the bench).
“In fact, it’s safe to say I’m loving it here.
“I’ve already set myself a couple of new targets, including staying here a lot longer than the year I’ve got left on my contract.
“And I know the best way of doing that is staying in the first team for as long as possible and just keep on improving.
“Hopefully, we can turn a few teams over and keep this winning run we’ve got at home going, starting against Warrington tomorrow.
“We know we’re going to need to be at our best, but we’re all looking forward to it and we know we can do it.”
Kirmond was one of the Giants’ more consistent players during the disappointing 46-8 defeat at Leeds Rhinos last Friday when the fit-again Jamahl Lolesi (shoulder) was sorely missed.
The New Zealand Test ace will return in the second row, while there could also be a change in the backs.
Great Britain utility back David Hodgson is today undergoing a fitness test on a chest injury and will be expected to feature if he receives the medical green light.
