Giants v Crusaders: Teams
Huddersfield could have Luke O'Donnell back for Sunday's 'home' clash with bottom club Crusaders at Shay Stadium.
Last Updated: 01/07/11 6:43pm
Huddersfield will be hoping to bounce back from their hammering at Wigan when they take on Crusaders at Shay Stadium on Sunday.
The Giants should've known it wasn't going to be their day at the DW Stadium last Saturday when their coach broke down on the way to the venue.
Although they made it on time for kick-off, Nathan Brown's side were comprehensively beaten 46-12 by the reigning Super League champions.
They are boosted for the 'home' fixture in Halifax by the return of Luke O'Donnell, who has missed the last seven games with a hamstring problem.
However, Huddersfield are without David Faiumu and Shaun Lunt due to groin and rib injuries respectively, as well as scrum-half Danny Brough.
With Luke Robinson set to switch back to hooker, young half-backs Kyle Wood and Gregg McNally have been drafted into the 19-man squad
"We know Luke Robinson was the number one hooker at the start of the year and if we move him back into that position we'll just have to look elsewhere for options in the halves," said Brown.
"There are a number of different combinations we can look at with people who have trained there all year and spent pre-season there so there are things we can do."
Props return
Crusaders remain stuck at the foot of the table after letting a late lead slip against Salford last time out.
The Welsh club are able to call upon the services of props Richard Moore, back after a month's absence, and Mark Bryant.
Winger Lee Williams keeps his place in the squad after an impressive debut against the Reds last week, but coach Iestyn Harris is still without a number of first-teamers.
Peter Lupton, Lloyd White, Clinton Schifcofske and Paul Johnson are all sidelined, while half-back Rhys Hanbury has now been ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
However, Crusaders did manage to upset the odds in the first meeting of the two teams this season, thrashing the Giants 32-6 at the Racecourse.
Huddersfield squad: Grix, Lawrence, Cudjoe, Gilmour, Hodgson, Brown, Crabtree, Robinson, Griffin, O'Donnell, Fa'alogo, Mason, Kirmond, Patrick, McGillvary, Wood, McNally, Wardle, Ferguson.
Crusaders squad: Thomas, Martin, Mellars, Reardon, Witt, Sammut, O'Hara, Withers, Bryant, Cahill, Chan, Winternstein, James, Flower, Kear, Dudson, Moore, L. Williams, Tansey.
