UPBEAT Giants coach Jon Sharp believes his squad's performance at Halifax in Monday's Infirmary Cup clash is a further sign of the improving health of his club.
The Huddersfield chief watched his side suffer a last-gasp 22-21 defeat at The Shay after they had led for much of the contest.
There was obviously a sense of disappointment that the Giants had been beaten.
But after losing 32-22 to Halifax in the same friendly fixture exactly a year ago, Sharp was feeling in positive mood.
"This time 12 months ago, we sent a side containing six first-team players over to Halifax and got flogged," reflected Sharp.
"On Monday we again travelled with six senior squad men in the party and can count ourselves desperately unlucky not to have won the game.
"As far as I'm concerned that's another sign that we're continuing to head in the right direction.
"There was far more cohesion and organisation in Monday's performance than there was in the performance a year ago.
"On that occasion, I could see there was a lot that needed to be worked on and put right.
"It was clear to me in this latest run-out that a lot of that has now been put right and that we're in a better overall shape in 2005 than at the start of 2004.
"Obviously, work still has to be done, but I am very encouraged by what I saw the other night.
"It was only when we took off the first-team players and Halifax put on some of their established senior players that we lost our grip on things."
One of the obvious improvements was in the level of fitness of the players.
In the first half when the Giants built up an 18-0 lead, Jon Grayshon was an impressive leader of the pack and Thomas Hemingway's extra yard of pace stood out strongly.
And for that, Sharp again praised the efforts of new Head of Athletic Performance, Geoff Evans.
"From day one, I said Geoff was a top operator and that's already clear to everyone at the club," added Sharp.
"And those fans who turned up at The Shay on Monday also saw that for themselves."
