Giants v Rhinos: Teams
Skipper Kevin Sinfield is back for Leeds as they make the short trip to the Galpharm Stadium to face the Giants.
Last Updated: 14/03/10 10:05am
Huddersfield will be looking to pick up where they left off from their demolition of Wakefield when they welcome Leeds to the Galpharm.
The Giants proved they can shine without talismanic skipper Brett Hodgson last Saturday with a resounding 52-0 victory over the Wildcats.
Coach Nathan Brown is likely to name an unchanged side from the won which triumphed at Belle Vue so emphatically, although fit-again Stephen Wild is included in the 19-man squad.
The former Wigan player has recovered from close-season knee surgery and could be handed his first start of the 2010 campaign.
With Hodgson still sidelined, Leroy Cudjoe will continue at full-back.
Belief
Huddersfield were beaten home and away by the Rhinos last season but Brown feels his side now have the self-belief to topple the reigning champions.
"This time last year we played Leeds at around a similar time (a 36-4 defeat at the Galpharm Stadium) and at that point I don't think we quite had the belief that we could beat them, whereas this time we have genuine belief that we are in with a chance of turning them over," he said.
"That doesn't mean it will necessarily be the case, but having that belief is a good sign that we are moving forward as a club."
Leeds make the short trip to their Yorkshire rivals boosted by the return of captain Kevin Sinfield to their 19-man squad.
The England international suffered a leg injury in the World Club Challenge defeat to Melbourne Storm and missed the home win over Harlequins.
Sinfield takes the place of Greg Eastwood, who will be sidelined for at least 10 weeks after suffering a fractured wrist last Friday at Headingley.
Tom Bush - who made a try-scoring debut against Quins - retains his place in the squad, so could continue to deputise for Scott Donald on the wing.
Huddersfield squad: Cudjoe, Lolesi, Whaturia, D. Hodgson, Brown, Robinson, Crabtree, Lunt, Gilmour, Fa'alogo, Wild, Raleigh, D. Griffin, Lawrence, Faiumu, Grix, Aspinwall, Patrick, Horne.
Leeds squad: Webb, Delaney, Senior, Hall, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Buderus, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Lauitiiti, Sinfield, Diskin, Bailey, Kirke, Burgess, Pitts, Watkins, Bush.