Confident on Uate as boss looks to NRL
SIMON Woolford is confident his Huddersfield Giants squad for 2019 will start to take serious shape during the Super 8s play-offs.
While Suaia Matagi is ready to make his debut against St Helens on Friday night, Woolford says further recruitment can gather momentum now the club know they’ll be in Super League next season.
Woolford is confident a deal will soon be delivered to bring in Akuila Uate from Manly, and he’ll be discussing other players with general manager Richard Thewlis over the next couple of weeks.
The Giants have been linked with Newcastle Knights half back Brock Lamb and Parramatta Eels utility back Corey Norman.
Woolford explained: “We made some inquiries about Corey Norman but, at this stage, he feels he’s still got a lot to offer in the NRL.
“He is still waiting for an opportunity there and he still has another year to go at Parramatta, so he doesn’t have to leave there if he doesn’t want to – so that didn’t gather any momentum.
“With Brock Lamb, we’ve never spoken to him so I don’t know where that came from.”
On the interest in 30-year-old winger Uate, Woolford commented: “I’m pretty confident he will be here next season. There are just a few minor things that need to be sorted out on that one.”
The news comes after Woolford revealed Seb Ikahihifo won’t play again this year after ankle surgery, while Michael Lawrence will miss at least the first two Super 8s matches through injury.
Aaron Murphy is also ruled out against Saints with a hamstring niggle, so Matagi and Ollie Roberts are in line to start. ■■Catalans Dragons will be without Greg Bird for the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup final after the Australian failed in his appeal against a four-match suspension.
The former Kangaroo Test forward was given the ban for a dangerous tackle during the Dragons’ 25-20 defeat at Wigan in the last round of the regular Super League season.
The ban ruled him out of Sunday’s cup semi-final against St Helens and will also force him to sit out the trip to Wembley to face Warrington as well as the Catalans’ opening two matches of the Super 8s.
Bird challenged the grading of the charge but an appeals panel felt it was correct and that the suspension should stand. The panel also ordered the club to forfeit a £500 appeal bond.
Wigan forward Taulima Tautai was given a four-game ban and a £500 fine after admitting a dangerous tackle in the same game.
Meanwhile, Hull KR forward Maurice Blair has been given a two-match ban for a gesture he made to the crowd after being sin-binned for dissent.