It is hard to replace main man Brough

AS the dust settles on Danny Brough’s departure from Huddersfield, just what exactly did the Scotsman bring to Giants and can he be replaced in Claret and Gold?

After signing in 2010, Brough quickly became the main man for Huddersfield and although they were far from a one-man team, there was always a correlation between Brough’s performances and Huddersfield’s results.

Giants have been very reliant on Brough’s playmaking and in-game kicking ability for the past eight years and it will be this over-reliance that they will have to replace, quickly.

This seems like the best possible opportunity for someone to step up and make their mark at Huddersfield and become the main playmaker for the team.

Matt Frawley, recently signed from Canterbury Bulldogs, has similar attributes to Brough, however, his obvious raw ability may not solely be enough to replace him.

Kruise Leeming has shown glimpses in his short time at Giants of becoming a superstar, albeit playing in a different position to Brough.

Potentially, the answer is not just to find one man to replace Brough, but to replace him as a collective unit in attack.

This means players such as Leeming, Frawley and Lee Gaskell all have to stand-up, be counted and be the creative force for Giants in 2019 and beyond.

Brough also brought passion and a desire to win in levels that most players can only dream of. Sure, at times this passion led to ill-discipline from the Scotsman and even he would probably admit it cost his side a few times, however, you could never deny that Brough gave everything in Claret and Gold.

This drive and passion will have to be picked up by the rest of the squad and turned into a desire to win. If they manage to emulate Brough in this way, Giants will have a winning team on their hands. This also leaves a leadership gap within the squad, however, and a new leader on the pitch will have to be found.

Leroy Cudjoe is current club captain but with the injury problems he faced in 2018, Brough, alongside Ryan Hinchcliffe, often led the troops on the field.

Hinchcliffe and Brough’s departures have left the squad devoid of leadership but all is not lost. These departures could be the catalyst for the Giants to become a fully unified squad with a team of leaders, not just individuals. It is pivotal that Giants begin to rally round as a team after Brough’s departure and fill in the gaps on the field his absence will leave.

The main quality Giants will have to replace is the Scot’s uncanny ability to spark Giants into life and to manufacture a moment which swings momentum in their favour.

Whether it’s a last-ditch tackle that saves a try or a well-judged 40-20 that relieves tension Brough did these things seemingly routinely throughout his eight years at the club.

His goal-kicking cannot go unnoticed either as the Scotsman has amassed more than 1,500 successful kicks at goal in his career.

One moment which sums up Brough in a Huddersfield shirt would be at the Magic Weekend in 2015. Giants, having surrendered a 10-0 lead, scored a last-gasp try to make the score 22-20.

Trailing by two, and with the hooter already blown, Brough, from the touchline, planted his kick over the posts at St James Park and Huddersfield escaped with a point.

Brough will be a huge miss for Giants and his individual contribution to the side will not be easily replaced.

However, it is now time for the whole squad to step up and to limit the impact of his departure.