Brough is facing battle to keep shirt at Giants
HE has been one of the first names on Huddersfield Giants’ team sheet for almost a decade but Danny Brough admits he now faces a real battle for a place even in their matchday 17.
The veteran scrum-half, who won Man of Steel when Huddersfield lifted the League Leaders’ Shield in 2013, celebrated his 35th birthday yesterday.
Although he was a regular last term, he is now in the final year of his contract at John Smith’s Stadium and realises head coach Rick Stone might soon start planning for the future.
Huddersfield signed Australian Jordan Rankin from Wests Tigers in June last year and, though he filled in at full-back during Jake Mamo’s injury absence, the ex-Hull FC star is seen mainly as a half-back for the forthcoming campaign.
Furthermore, the West Yorkshire club also has Lee Gaskell, the former Bradford Bulls and St Helens stand-off, on their books so Brough knows he must perform consistently to keep his younger rivals at bay.
“There is a bit of competition for places now at Giants,” he told
“Obviously, there’s Lee Gaskell, Jordan Rankin and myself and one of us is probably going to miss out.
“I’m not too sure which way Rick might go or whether one of us might get pushed up to hooker or left out completely.
“It’s vital you perform to keep your place and I most definitely know that applies to me as much as anyone.
“You do want competition, though, as, if there isn’t any, you can start getting complacent thinking you are going to play every week come what may.
“Hopefully I’m in the 17 as many times as I can.
“Back in the day I did play a bit of hooker and I’m happy to play anywhere; when you’re knocking on at my age you want to play as much as possible and wherever.
“But I do know I’m not guaranteed a place at all.”
Gaskell, 27, and Rankin, 26, will certainly be putting the pressure on to secure playmaking roles.
“They’re both quite young halfbacks still and they just have to keep learning the game, keep things stable and do what they do,” added Brough.
“Their finding their feet and showing up well. It’s good we have these options now.”
Scotland captain Brough – controversially sent home from the World Cup in November after being deemed too drunk to board a flight in New Zealand – joined Huddersfield from Wakefield Trinity in 2010.
Renowned as one of the best kickers of his generation, the Dewsbury-born player has consistently been one of Super League’s top creative talents.
A charismatic and gifted playmaker, Brough has enjoyed a colourful career and undoubtedly proved one of the club’s finest-ever signings.
Huddersfield have done it tough in recent years, though, finishing bottom in 2016 and then only narrowly avoiding the Qualifiers again last term when finishing eighth.
They won just two of their opening 11 league games but – with new players like Rankin and fellow Australian Mamo now bedded in – Brough hopes they can enjoy a stronger start to the new season which starts at his former club Hull FC on February 1.
“We probably can’t start any worse than we did last year,” he said.
“It’s a big focus of ours to start as well as possible.
“You have to get as many points as you can early on as, when you start as we did last term, it’s hard to catch up with the rest and week in, week out it becomes a struggle.
“We had a good run mid-season last year that just got us into the top-eight but we want more consistency in 2018.”
With Gaskell unavailable, Brough and Rankin formed the half-back partnership as Huddersfield beat another of his former clubs Dewsbury Rams 32-22 in Sunday’s friendly.
That game was the testimonial for Giants captain Leroy Cudjoe, their long-serving England centre who is currently sidelined by a serious knee injury.
Brough said: “He’s a great bloke is Leroy.
“To those that don’t know him, he just goes about his business doing everything he possibly can for the team.
“He’s Huddersfield through and through and it was a great day for him while, personally, I was really proud to be able to be involved in it.”
Although Brough did not want to comment on that Scotland episode, he did say he was unsure whether or not he had played his last game for his country.
He became the Bravehearts’ most-capped player when he led them against Tonga in the World Cup, taking his tally to 25 with the following appearance versus New Zealand before that infamous incident in Christchurch.
“No one knows what’s going on,” he said, with head coach Steve McCormack stepping down last month after 14 years in charge.
“There’s no coach in place so who knows? It depends, I suppose.”
For now, Brough will concentrate on Huddersfield – and keeping hold of that hard-earned spot. IT HAS come 12 months later than expected but Dean Hadley can now belatedly make his mark in Hull FC colours.
The talented second-row is back at KCOM Stadium after a fruitful season-long loan with Wakefield Trinity and keen to at last establish himself in Black and Whites colours.
Granted, Hadley, who came through the academy ranks at hometown Hull, thought he might have chance to do just that last term.
However, head coach Lee Radford decided he wanted the hard-hitting forward to gain further experience elsewhere.
“When he first put a loan deal to me it did take me by surprise as it didn’t come up until the first round of the season,” Hadley recalled to
“I’d done a full pre-season with Hull and I was looking forward to maybe getting a lengthy spell in the side as Frank (Pritchard) had left and I’d been told my chances of playing were greater.
“But I think quite a lot of it was to do with salary cap. Wakefield and Leigh were interested in taking me for the year but at first I told Radders I wanted to stay and fight for a place.
“He was quite honest with me, though. He said he wanted me at Hull but, with those salary cap issues, didn’t know when I could play.
“I didn’t want to be go four, five or six weeks without playing.
“The way Wakey had been going, it just felt right to go there.
“I’m glad I did as, obviously I really enjoyed last year.
“It was great getting so many games as I did. That’s what I went for really and I do think it really improved me as a player.
“It was very beneficial and Wakey had a great season, too.”
Hadley -– who spent time on loan with York City Knights and Doncaster earlier in his FC career – played 22 games for Trinity, starting in 15 and becoming an integral part of Chris Chester’s squad who came so close to the top-four.
He clearly proved he has what it takes to deliver in the upper echelons although he realises he still has his work cut out forcing his way into Radford’s starting XIII.
Italy captain Mark Minichiello, 35, and Tonga captain Sika Manu, 30, are Hull’s regular backrows although, of course, their formidable captain and loose forward Gareth Ellis has now retired.
“I am fortunate here,” conceded Hadley.
“You’ve got two players who are the captains of their country while I don’t think you can have a better player than Gareth Ellis to learn from.
“His record speaks for itself and he is so professional and respected. You can’t help but learn and I’ve managed to work alongside him for a few years before his retirement.
“He’s football manager now and so still around the place.
“But I think it’s time I’ve got to stand up now and start being a leader myself. Hopefully I get a chance.”
Being at Belle Vue last year meant Hadley missed out for a second season running in being part of Challenge Cup glory.
“It’s a strange feeling,” he said. “Being a Hull lad and fan, it was great to see the club finally win at Wembley and not only do that but then do back-to-back Challenge Cup final wins like we have. It was a really special time but for myself, as a rugby player, I want to be part of those games so it was a little bit disappointing as well.
“Maybe we can make it three on the bounce, though, and also go that step further in Super League and get to a Grand Final,” added Hadley, who showed his versatility in Danny Houghton’s testimonial game against Hull KR on Sunday starting at loose forward before switching to hooker.