Giants star Ikahihifo ready for next season’s challenge AWARD WINNING KIWI FORWARD IS GEARING UP FOR SUPER LEAGUE 2018 CAMPAIGN
WE’VE had some outstanding weeks at HGSA, but last week was exceptional.
On Tuesday Giants head coach Rick Stone was our guest at Turnbridge.
He asked to come and speak to us to give a run down on the forthcoming season.
As usual he came across as honest and forthright.
He was asked about dual registration. He explained that this was a difficult one for both the Giants and the hosting club.
The lower tier club, naturally, looks to the future and could not always guarantee to select our players.
We, on the other hand, wanted our non-selected players to have a game to help them develop and stay match fit.
Consequently the club has gone down the route of season-long loans. In an ideal world, ie if the money was available, every club would have a reserve team. Rick thought that the RFL ought to look seriously into this and perhaps partially or wholly fund such a set up.
There was lots more that Rick told us. For those of you who weren’t there, apologies, but to encourage our guests to be totally open, we have the policy of only reporting the less controversial comments – for fear that the rest of the media would spread unfounded rumours!
So, if you want to know what Richard Thewlis will be saying on Tuesday 2nd January, come along to Turnbridge and hear for yourself!
Our Reindeer Race Night is now a firm favourite and has become a fixture in our calendar.
Last Friday night punters turned up in force to Turnbridge’s renowned paddock to see for themselves the state of fitness of Santa’s reindeer.
Would they be able to haul his sleigh all around the world and deliver presents in time?
Judging by their performances on Friday one or two still could do with a little bit of fine tuning!
But don’t worry, children, Santa has promised to see to that!
Our regular punters proclaimed that last Friday’s event was the best ever, and from a personal viewpoint, it certainly was.
Martin Eastwood cajoled the troops to such an extent that there wasn’t a reindeer left for sale on the night. Oliver and Georgia Atherton were in charge of the whips to ensure that the reindeer ran at full pace.
And Jeanette Wittrick not only provided superb race commentaries, but also manged the crowd so that they did not leave the premises with any cash remaining in their pockets!
The bottom line is that a magnificent £539 was raised for the development of junior/youth rugby.
Thanks are indeed due to not only Martin and the rest of your committee, but also to David and his staff at Turnbridge. Be sure to put January 18th in your diary. It is the Fans Forum at Stadium.
This event is free for HGSA members, season ticket holders, and accompanied youngsters, everyone else will have to pay – so why not join us? After all, it’s only a fiver, and this will give you access to the Legends Bar on match days.
Keep an eye out on our website for the January date of our Pre-Season Meal, www.GiantsSupporters.co.uk. GIANTS multiple award winner Sebastine Ikahihifo is ready for the intensity of getting tuned for Super League2018.
After suffering an injury at the end of the 2017 season, Ikahihifo is focused on returning to full fitness in pre-season training.
“I feel okay, back to 100 per cent now,”said Ikahihifo.
“I had a bit of a hamstring problem at the end of the season and started late in pre-season, so it’s about getting fit now.
“I’m back in full-training now just trying to get to full fitness as I’m a bit behind everyone.
“I feel like I’ve been a bit further back but I’m getting better now.
“Pre-season has been okay so far, there’s a lot of targets for me to aim for and a lot of motivation for me after coming back a bit later.
“I enjoy pre-season. You really see results from the first time you started to the end.
“The one that really improves is fitness and that’s what I’m really looking to get out of preseason so that I can play some long minutes next season.”
After earning a spot in the 2017 Super League Dream Team and scooping four awards at the Giants awards night, Ikahihifo is aiming for a similarly fruitful 2018 season.
“I don’t want to go for the same targets as last year as I want to get better,” said the 26-yearold New Zealander.
“With what I achieved last year I’d like to be able to do it again and do even better.
“There’s a lot of really good props that weren’t picked for the Dream Team and I just want to be up there for next season.”
Adam Walne and Colton Roche have been added to the Giants squad in the forwards position and Ikahihifo believes the squad is looking strong and added: “It’s always good having the in-house competition with the props.
“I think it gets everyone competing and helps improve us, I just look at it as a friendly competition.
“I think we’ve got a great team for next year.
“I think on the back of Jez (Jermaine McGillvary) who had some world class performances at the World Cup, I think he can carry on that momentum for next year.
“I watched most of the World Cup games and thought Jez did really well.
“Everyone congratulated him for the great performances and for the Golden Boot nomination, I thought he was going to win it.”
“We’ve also got Jake Mamo back and we missed his spark at times last year when he was injured.
“Leroy (Cudjoe) and Tommy (Symonds) are also coming back and it will feel like new signings