Thor blimey!

START WITH RUGBY LEAGUE CHRIS’ TARGET AFTER STONE AXED

CHRIS THORMAN has two games to prove he can replace sacked Huddersfield boss Rick Stone.

The Giants axed Stone, 51, yesterday after a disastrous start to the season.

Assistant boss Thorman, 37, has been put in charge for their Easter fixtures against Leeds and Catalans.

And he has been told he could clinch the job permanently if he inspires a huge turnaround in form and morale.

Stone took over in July 2016 and after losing his opening two games saved the Giants’ Super League skins in the Middle 8s.

Last year, they finished eighth and avoided a relegation battle but several players weren’t happy with his methods.

That discontent carried over into this season, the Giants losing five of their opening seven games.

The club’s patience finally ran out after an embarrassing 38-6 thrashing by fellow strugglers Hull KR and then a 48-10 defeat by Wigan on Friday.

Managing director Richard Thewlis said: “The board felt that ® a change was needed and that the change should be made sooner rather than later.

“Rick Stone is an outstanding man, character and coach but the results for us simply haven’t worked out as anyone would have wished for.

“With this decision now made, we focus on supporting Chris Thorman in the role, with the recognition that we will be inundated with offers of names wanting to come in.

“Chris understands this but he knows that this is an opportunity to put himself forward as he knows he is very highly thought of here.”

Thorman, who took over as assistant coach in 2012, is helped by the lack of outstanding candidates waiting in the wings. Huddersfield could be tempted to hand the job to an untried coach from the NRL but Thorman (inset) has never hidden his love for the club and is thought to be in the driving seat.

It’s the second time he has taken interim charge, winning two of his four games before Stone arrived after Paul Anderson was sacked.