Crusaders v Giants: Teams

Thomas: rested by Harris for the game against the Giants

Crusaders head coach Iestyn Harris has rung the changes for the Good Friday showdown with table-topping Huddersfield.

Hooker Lincoln Withers is ruled out after he aggravated a hamstring injury in the 64-6 away loss to Warrington last Friday.

Lloyd White will take over from Withers in the pack but Harris - who is yet to see his side win in Wrexham this season - has opted to rest Gareth Thomas and Ben Flower.

The duo are replaced by Stuart Reardon and Jason Chan as Super League's basement dwellers take on the side currently sitting pretty at the summit.

Young Welsh prop Gil Dudson is also added to the 19-man squad while fellow front-rower Mark Bryant is set to make a Super League record 61st consecutive appearance.

Rock bottom

"The Warrington game was rock bottom for us," said Australian Bryant. "They are a classy side but to have that many points scored against us in one outing was very disappointing.

"A lot of us have been looking in the mirror this week and we realise we need to pull our fingers out and make something of this season.

"We need to be able to compete against the top sides and Huddersfield are top of the table at the moment. Friday's game will be a good test to see how far we have come."

Huddersfield coach Nathan Brown, meanwhile, looks once again likely to rotate his squad for the first game of a busy Easter period.

The Australian - Super League's version of the 'tinkerman' this season - has drafted in Danny Kirmond at the expense of Dale Ferguson, while centre Joe Wardle earns a recall to the 19-man squad.

He is also able to welcome back David Fa'alogo, the second-rower having missed the last four matches due to a leg injury.

The Giants go into the game off the back of a 38-6 hammering of Leeds and can expect plenty of away support to follow them to north Wales.

Luke O'Donnell was sent off in the win over the Rhinos at Headingley but avoided any suspension from the Rugby Football League's disciplinary panel.

Crusaders squad: Schifcofske, Martin, Mellars, Reardon, Witt, Sammut, O'Hara, Bryant, Cahill, Chan, Winternstein, James, Hanbury, White, Dudson, Johnson, Moore, Lupton, Tansey.

Huddersfield squad: Grix, Lawrence, Cudjoe, Gilmour, Brown, Brough, Crabtree, Robinson, Griffin, O'Donnell, Fa'alogo, Faiumu, Lunt, Kirmond, Patrick, Horne, McGillvary, Wardle, Simpson.