Bold opening: Huddersfield Giants are in a tough spot, and Sam Hewitt’s suspension piles on their early-season struggles.
Huddersfield Giants will be without their suspended back-row player Sam Hewitt for Friday’s crucial Super League clash at Castleford Tigers.
Hewitt received a one-match ban after being charged with a late tackle in the narrow loss to Wakefield Trinity on Sunday.
His absence compounds an already challenging situation for the Giants, who are missing six regulars due to injury.
Injury updates include centre Liam Sutcliffe sidelined for 12 weeks; back-rower Joe Greenwood and loose forward Harry Rushton out for nine to 10 weeks; and winger Adam Swift, full-back Niall Evalds, and half-back Adam Clune each expected to be out for around five weeks.
Head coach Luke Robinson summed up the mood, noting a string of unfortunate events: “It’s been a bit of a jinx, really.” He joked that he had tried naming captains in quick succession—Cluney, then Swift, then Rushton—only to see each captainfall to injuries, while he acknowledged Tui (Lolohea) escaped the same fate against Wakefield.
Robinson added that the team is missing several key players and reflected on pre-season optimism fading over the last few weeks: “We were in a really good spot before the end of pre-season, but the last couple of weeks haven’t been great.” Still, he remained pragmatic, saying, “It is what it is—there’s not much we can do about it.”
Both Huddersfield and Castleford have started the season with two defeats each, setting the stage for a pivotal fixture between the two strugglers.
