Giants 38-16 Hull KR 2011: Where are they now?

We look at where each of the members of the 2011 Giants side that faced Hull KR have got to in their careers now!

Nine years ago, Huddersfield comfortably beat Hull KR 38-16 at Craven Park, banishing any memories of a disappointing defeat to Wigan a week earlier.

This victory moved Giants up to second in the table but was overshadowed by a floodlight failure that threatened to disrupt the game.

The game continued however, and Nathan Brown’s Giants started a run of four victories in a row and it was games like this that laid the foundations for their successful 2013 season.

We, therefore, look back at who featured for Giants in this memorable game and see where they are nine years on. 

Scott Grix

Grix who was only in the early stages of his Giants career in this game would stay at Giants until 2016, where he left to join Wakefield.

However, he soon returned to Huddersfield and although he was mainly brought back in a coaching role, injuries meant he had to play his part on the field and made four appearances last campaign for Giants.

Grix now plays at Halifax under Head Coach Simon Grix, his younger brother.                          

Jermaine McGillvary

The England international, much like Grix, was still in his early years as a Giants player in 2011.

The definition of a “one club man”, McGillvary has scored over 160 Super League tries for Giants and has been the first name on the team sheet ever since his debut.

Coach Nathan Brown was full of praise for McGillvary after the Hull KR game claiming: “It was the best game I've seen Jerry play. His concentration for 80 minutes was terrific.”

“He thinks of himself as a Super League player and I think everyone will probably agree. He's doing a really good job.”

I think Brown was proved right.

Leroy Cudjoe

Like McGillvary, Cudjoe is the definition of “one club man”, spending his entire career at Huddersfield Giants after his debut in February 2008.

However, the most recent years of Cudjoe’s career have been frustrating ones with constant injury battles meaning he is yet to feature so far this season.

He was given a testimonial year in 2018 and every Giants fan will hope Cudjoe can get back to full fitness when the season returns.

Michael Lawrence

Rounding off the trio of “one club men”, Lawrence is still an integral part in the Huddersfield Giants machine.

His recent 80-minute stint at Loose Forward against St Helens shows the incredible fitness Lawrence possesses and his commitment to Giants hasn’t wavered since his debut in 2007.

David Hodgson

Hodgson spent four seasons at Huddersfield, joining them from Salford after their relegation in 2007.

After leaving Giants in 2011, he finished his playing career at Hull KR where he now works as alongside Willie Poching as Assistant Coach to former Giants man, Tony Smith.

Kevin Brown

Brown has represented six clubs so far in his career, but he spent the most time at Huddersfield with a seven-year stint between 2006 and 2012.

After leaving Giants, Brown moved on to Widnes Vikings and then to Warrington Wolves where he played in defeats in a Challenge Cup final and a Super League Grand Final.

Brown now plays for Salford Red Devil’s and saw himself sent to the sinbin during Huddersfield’s 12-10 victory over Salford in Round Three.

Danny Brough

Arguably Huddersfield’s heartbeat for the best part of a decade, Brough was instrumental in an exciting Giants side.

He eventually departed the team he won the Man of Steel Award with at the end of the 2018 season to join Wakefield.

Brough has scored over 1000 Super League goals and has played in 320 games in a career spanning almost two decades.

Eorl Crabtree

Crabtree embodied Huddersfield Giants for 16 years, making 437 senior appearances, including 14 games internationally for England.

He now acts as “Club Ambassador” for Huddersfield Giants and can be seen on TV as a rugby league pundit.

Little needs to be said about Crabtree and his influence at Huddersfield since his debut, 20 years ago.

David Faiumu

Playing for just two clubs during his career, Faiumu starred for firstly North Queensland Cowboys until 2008, featuring in the 2005 NRL Grand Final.

He then moved to Huddersfield where he spent seven years, racking up over 150 appearances in claret and gold.

After retiring in 2014, Paul Anderson described Faiumu as “something special” and “a credit to himself and his family.”

Faiumu became Huddersfield Giants’ Community Development Officer upon retirement and is now Head Coach of Intrust Super Cup side Central Queensland Capras in Australia.

Keith Mason

Mason featured for Giants in between season-long spells at Castleford Tigers and spent seven seasons in Huddersfield.

Mason also played for St Helens and Wakefield in a 14-year career which also saw the Welsh international play in Australia.

After retiring from the game in 2013, Mason turned his hand to acting and featured in “A Hitman in London” alongside Mickey Rourke.

Lee Gilmour

Not afraid to step into the unknown, Gilmour featured for six different Super League clubs during a 17-year career in England.

For three of those years, he called Huddersfield home, featuring over 75 times for Giants.

After retiring following a loan spell at Wakefield in 2014, Gilmour finds himself still at the club as Assistant Coach to Chris Chester.

Danny Kirmond

Now associated with Wakefield, Kirmond spent four years with Huddersfield, making 55 appearances in that time.

Moving to their local rivals in 2012, Kirmond is now a vital player in Chris Chester’s side and even captained the side in their most important game in recent years, the 2015 “Million Pound Game” against Bradford Bulls.

Luke O’Donnell

O’Donnell featured alongside David Faiumu at North Queensland Cowboys and reunited with him at Huddersfield in 2011.

However, O’Donnell spent just two years in England before moving back to Australia to finish his career with Sydney Roosters.

After retiring, O’Donnell has spoken about dealing with injuries throughout his career and off-field troubles that he has dealt with, including trouble with the law.