The Lowdown: Final Week of Pre-Season

Tick, tock, tick, tock... the days are counting down until the start of the 2020 Super League Season. Here's all you need to know.

The Brief

We're here. After all the transfers, discussions, preparation and training, we've arrived at the last week of the 2020 pre-season. We have two fixtures this week; our Wakefield trip that has become a traditional cornerstone of the preparation in recent years and a Sunday trip to Mount Pleasant to face Batley Bulldogs. 

Simon Woolford has indicated to GiantsTV that two competing squads will face off in the two friendlies; a full-strength, Round 1 test side against Wakefield and a rotation side for those who are slated to miss out on Round 1 against Batley. 

"Sunday will be for those guys who don't play Round 1. It will be an opportunity for those to get game time to make a claim for a starting spot down the track" said Woolford this week. 

Woolford has indicated that Lee Gaskell will turn out for the Claret & Gold in the midweek friendly, while a rotation side will have a run out against the Gallant Youth on Sunday afternoon:

"To build on what we did against Halifax. Gasky will play, the training the last couple of weeks has been outstanding. I'm keen to see how they work together. We're mainly to get those guys playing together and get the middles more game time, but ultimately it's just another step in our preparation."

The Opposition

Wakefield Trinity are the opposition in our second pre-season test of the slate for 2020, and with the Giants facing two losses in 2019 by a single point, the game will be a good barometer of how far the Claret and Gold have progressed in the off-season. 

Trin will be looking to improve on their 9th place finish in 2019, and will be looking to talisman Danny Brough to lead them to that improvement. They've added well in the off-season, but will face an ever-converging pack in the middle of the Super League slate for room to improve.

Batley Bulldogs are under new leadership in 2020, with former Keighley Cougars coach Craig Lingard stepping up to take over the Gallant Youth. Their 10th place Championship finish in 2019, which would have been 11th had Widnes avoided a 12 point deduction pre-season. 

They've added quietly and smartly in 2020, with Ben White, Dale Morton, Lucas Walshaw, Luke Hooley, Anthony Bowman and Shaun Pick added to a talented roster for the new year. A test against the second string Giants will be useful for the Championship side.

Key Players

Lee Gaskell

Gaskell missed the Halifax game due to a minor complaint, but Woolford has confirmed that the new half-back axis of Aidan Sezer & Lee Gaskell will debut in the Wakefield game. The 2019 Players Player of the Year, Supporters Player of the Year and Wagstaff Trophy winner will be as important a component to the Giants attack, which looked fluent against Halifax, as Aidan Sezer. 

Aidan Sezer

"Aidan Sezer is a quality player. That's why he's here. He's proven that at NRL level, he's got a team to a Grand Final. There's a lost of expectation on him, but he puts a lot on himself. Once him and gasky get together, there's a couple of more levels to go yet."

Simon Woolford has place a lot of emphasis on the Turkish International in the off-season, and it's not hard to see why. The playmaker showed touches of brilliance in the Halifax test, but seeing how he lines up in a near-Super League game on Wednesday night will be fascinating. Doing it on a Wednesday Night in Wakefield is surely the Rugby League equivalent of doing it on a Tuesday Night in Stoke, surely? 

Dominic Young

We're really excited about Dom Young's debut tonight...

...take a look at some of his best bits at the #AcademyOrigin series! ⬇️

📺Don't forget to catch up on the final game of the Origin series tomorrow live on #OURLEAGUE pic.twitter.com/uPdZ27oeql

— Huddersfield Giants (@Giantsrl) June 14, 2019

The mercurial outside-back is sure to be given a run out in the Sunday game against Batley, with the team looking to give game time to those who may not start in Round 1. With the youngster having just one first-team start, against St Helens in 2019, he is seemingly set to play for the Giants in the Sunday fixture. 

Key Battles

Ashton Golding vs Ryan Hampshire

In the previous two games, one-point losses against Wakefield in 2019, full-back play was pivotal in the game, with Darnell McIntosh scoring a crucial break to swing the momentum, however temporarily, in the Giants favour in the opening meeting between the two sides. 

With a new Number 1 set to start the season at full-back in 2020, Golding will face up against a crucial attacking full-back/half-back weapon for the Dreadnoughts. Should be an interesting battle to keep an eye on in the 

Ben White vs Jordan Paga

First thing I'm doing with my Giants TV subscription? Watching this again. Take a bow, Jordan Paga pic.twitter.com/BP501Tx92p

— Fee Fi Fo Fum (@FeeFiFoFumRL) January 14, 2020

After a stellar performance in the Infirmary Cup last weekend, Paga looks set to turn out for Huddersfield in the Sunday game. He'll be looking for another good performance to cement himself as a viable option should first choices become unavailable during the season. 

Another player looking to settle in is the 25-year-old Ben White, who made the move to Mount Pleasant from Cumbria in 2020. The former Leeds man will be looking to make an impact at the Championship side.

Tickets

Wakefield Trinity (A) - 22nd January KO 7:30pm

Adults: £15

Concessions: £10

Juniors Under 16: £5

Juniors Under 5: FREE

Please note that the North Stand and Western Terrace are CLOSED for this game. The East Stand and paddock (standing area in front of the East Stand) will be open, allowing free access between both.

With the Western Terrace being closed, away fans will be situated in the East Stand (Block I).

Batley Bulldogs (A) - 26th January KO 2:00pm

This match is pay on the gate only. Adult and Concession admission is £10, Juniors £2

Get your Wakefield tickets