Not looking good for us. Can sense a similar start to season as last year.

No Leeming
No Symonds
No Seb
No Cudjoe (Confirmed)
No Mellor (Confirmed by himself)

If Symonds is injured the club should pay him out and release him and look to bring someone in.

If we pay him wont it count on our cap. Regardless of whether he plays.
What’s up with leeming?

Had previously stated symonds would be playing, what's changed ?

Not if he's de registered which he would be

No idea - the club are terrible at letting the fans know

He came with a chronic knee injury so no surprises that he's having issues with his knee, ditto Gaskell when he has hamstring problems,

surely these issues would have been known to the person /people that signed them up the players concerned must have thought they had hit the jackpot but the people that are signing em have a history of signing injury prone players

Neither had Medicals despite their injury history

Gaskell hasn’t had problems with his hamstring last season has he? Thought it was heart scare.
If we didn’t take on players with previous injuries we wouldn’t sign anyone- Leroy had that nasty injury as a teen - what if we hadn’t given him a contract.
On the other side of the coin Luke o donnell came over here having not missed a game in forever- he couldn’t stay fit once here.

gaskell played plenty games last season, everyone was crowing he will never play a game for the giants, proved them wrong.

the club just leave fans guessing on players injuries, or the media cant be bothered reporting or the coaches just want to play mind games so the oppo dont know whos playing

suppose we as fans will have to just guess once the squad is announced whos going to play

be interesting to see how the pack get on without ikahihifo.... because without him its pretty average

we may see brough play hooker today too in the match with gaskell and rankin half backs to see how it works

Couldn't make the game tonight, would be interested to hear how the players fared. Any stand outs? Did we mix up the halves? Wardle get any game time?

Tried to keep up to speed on social media but there wasn't much going on so had to jump on Wakeys twitter feed for updates

Well all I can say is the future is very bright, sadly not the immediate future I fear. Wakey will do well this year- they have a good mix of players- their forwards are a handful.
Hinchcliffe played well, turner did ok too, some strong runs from dan smith. I know it’s only preseason but we don’t look to have solved the problems from last season. Still making silly handling errors, giving silly penalties, our passing is lethargic and our defence can’t cope when teams pass quickly and keep the ball alive. We defended of one on one up the middle- but when wakey passed the ball early we struggled. Problem is we just don’t have the props to make up for it going forward. I’m not too impressed with our two prop signings. Our outside edges were poor, sorry smurph. Ormsby stood out in the whole side - but not for the right reasons sadly. He had a stinker.
The two young wingers that replaced the “experienced” players looked much better. Wardle and innes? Looked good in attack and defence. Jake would have scored too if he hadn’t been tackled high. Sadly looked to be limping when he came off. Hope that’s nothing for the lad. Matty English again looked good in the forwards. Rankin isn’t cutting it for me- Gaskell in the halves please. Ikahihifo was warming up on the touchline with the others in the first half- but didn’t play.

Thought it was a very entertaining game and both sides seemed to want to win it.
26 - 22 to Wakey was about right and both coaches should be reasonably happy.
Thought Mamo and Brough went well in the backs for you Giants.
In the forwards numbers 30 and 10 played exceptionally well as did Ferguson.
Was impressed with your blonde haired number 10.
Very good game for a friendly and plenty for both sides to build on.

About right. I thought Huddersfield did well. I expect Wakefield to finish above them but I think Huddersfield could be in the eights definitely. Thought Wakefield made it hard for themselves with some poor discipline and basic errors though. Broughs kicking is vital for Hudds. If Brough gets injured that could make a big difference to where you guys finish.

considering the giants were missing

mcgillvary
cudjoe
ikahihifo
leeming
wakeman
symonds
mellor
mcintosh

and coming up against basically wakefield full team i was pleased, we could have even snatched it in the end! lots of changes as you get in friendlies, we have 4 different full backs during the game just goes to show that.

positives -

the pack, wakefield props are big and i was worried we wouldnt make any inroads but the props stood up well, taai played prop...would love to see him play there this season and compliment ikahihifo. matty english but a good stint in when he came on, good future.

jake wardle, got my first glimpse of him, came on in the second half, could see straight away he is a talent, would have scored a try but for a high shot on him, great try saving tackle too but then he had to leave the field at the end limping... hope its not serious as we know how many injuries hes had.

mamo - looked as dangerous and as fast as ever!!

rankin - set up two tries, good to see...also made some great tackles...can see why he has also played full back in his career.

ferguson - some strong carries, so hard to put down when he gets his legs pumping.


the not so good! -

the edge defence is poor, especially the left hand side last night of roberts, brough, gaskell, murphy.
our centres are poor, needs work but then its not out first choice back line is it.

brough - cant pass or put players through, must have put 3 passes out in the first half either ended up knocked on or into touch! stick to kicking broughy! mind you struggles with the goals nowadays still



overall came away pleasantly surprised

Here we go the old injury excuse. It a 30 man game these days and frankly those missing only a couple would seriously make a difference.

We were missing a few but imho only Randall possibly made a difference.

Over all it was the right result - I expected Hudds to dig in against us because they always do. However player for player there is a slight superiority in players in wakefields favour. It's not huge but it doesn't need to be.

What is certain is that it will be a very tight this seaon I see no easy beats but for teams like us to reach top 8 we'll need to pick off the weaker teams to build up the points.

You look decent enough to trouble the top 8 as do we but for now it's pure speculation based on a friendly and in my experience they are a lousy guide to real form.

You are off your rocker. Only a couple would make a difference?

3 of our starting back line were out in McGilvary, Cudjoe and McIntosh. McGilvary one of best wingers in world replacing Ormsby probably the worst winger in SL would have made a huge difference alone and I hope to never see that lad in a Giants shirt again hes that bad. Cudjoe our club captain and best centre would also make a difference.

Ikahihifo was a dream team prop last season and would have also made a massive difference.

Leeming - our best hooker would have also made a difference.

Wakeman, Symonds and Mellor would not have made much difference to the game.

I think Wakeman will make a difference - he’s lost his excess weight by the looks, but not his overall size. he was starting to come into his own last year and with a full preseason with us will be stronger. Also our props are a weak area for me. Walne has looked ordinary. I’d play matty no question- he deserves a go as he’s looked our best forward In The last two games- having said that Ateotd friendlys mean jack.

will say one thing

roche will not make it as a regular super league player from what ive seen, hope he proves me wrong! early days and was signed as a project but not seen much to say he will make the jump up

Cheers. Agree with that.

No 10 Matty English.

Anyone know our No 30 playing at Wakey?

Squad no 30 is Ormsby .

If Wakeman has lost weight he will be even worse than last year. He got totally dominated in the games i saw him play for Italy in the world cup, driven backwards further than he went forward. Too lightweight for a prop, Stone's one bad signing i'm afraid.

Friendly's are there to warm up for the season and nothing more. We have all known teams get beaten by 40+ in a friendly and win their first few games of the season and visa versa.

I feel the same

30 was Ormsby- he had a shocker- not sure what game the wakey fan was watching- or how many he’d had but he’s wrong with that number as one having a good game. He knocked on twice early in the tackle near our own line, and some woeful man on man defence. Could be talking about 20 who was Smith -he did have a decent game.

I was trying to be polite. He’s not lost size weight he’s lost excess “weight” ie no belly. He’s got the right kind of weight now!

No but you clearly are, it's a friendly - get a grip.

Ok, no Huby for us would have made a difference especially against you lot, No Randell for us, would have made a difference, no James Batchelor always great to watch - anyone can play that card.