Giants v Crusaders: Teams
Huddersfield welcome back forward Eorl Crabtree from a knee injury for the visit of the injury-hit Crusaders on Sunday.
Last Updated: 09/07/10 5:02pm
Eorl Crabtree is set to return for Huddersfield as they look to get to back to winning ways when they host Crusaders on Sunday.
England international Crabtree has missed the last three matches with a knee injury but is back in coach Nathan Brown's 19-man squad.
Stephen Wild, who has been troubled by a hamstring strain, and rookie Jermaine McGillvary also return but forward Keith Mason is ruled out.
The Giants were beaten 44-18 at Castleford last weekend and also failed to win their last home fixture, drawing 16-16 with Hull KR thanks to a last-gasp penalty from skipper Brett Hodgson.
"The good thing at this stage of the season is that there is always next week to try and put things right and we have the chance to do that on Sunday," said Huddersfield assistant coach Paul Anderson.
"We've looked at a certain areas and feel we can make the required improvements and find the necessary response.
Timely boost
Crusaders welcome back Tommy Lee and Vince Mellars to bolster their injury-hit squad.
Lee has not featured for three months due to a broken leg and his return could be a timely one with fellow hooker Lincoln Withers struggling with a calf strain.
Having recovered from a shoulder problem that ruled him out of the last two games, Mellars is likely to be partnered in the centres by Rhys Hanbury, who will shift over from scrum-half to make way for the returning Jarrod Sammut.
Gareth Thomas and Ryan O'Hara are expected to be sidelined for three weeks after picking up respective groin and back injuries in the 30-10 loss to Warrington last time out.
"The mood has been pretty good this week but we haven't got a lot of bodies around at the moment," said Crusaders coach Brian Noble.
"We gave the players a couple of days off at the start of the week and we've been checking up today who's healthy and who's not. We've probably picked up a couple of other injuries that have kept people out but the mood is good.
"I thought we dished up a much improved performance last week and the effort was there for all to see. That was the pleasing aspect from our point of view."
Huddersfield squad: B. Hodgson, Cudjoe, D. Hodgson, Brown, Robinson, Crabtree, Lunt, Gilmour, Wild, Finnigan, D. Griffin, Drew, Lawrence, Faiumu, Grix, Patrick, McGillvary, Horne, Brough.
Crusaders squad: Youngquest, Martin, Mellars, Sammut, Withers, Bryant, Hauraki, Trimarchi, Dyer, Lee, Winternstein, Peek, Thackray, James, White, Dudson, Lupton, Schifcofske, Hanbury.