Wolves v Giants: Team News
Huddersfield Giants welcome back prop Paul Jackson for Friday's trip to Warrington Wolves.
By Adam Norman
Last Updated: 30/08/07 4:10pm
Huddersfield can welcome back prop Paul Jackson for Friday's trip to Warrington Wolves.
Jackson has been out for six weeks with a knee injury and his return is a significant boost to coach Jon Sharp, who was considering desperate measures in a bid to find a replacement.
Paul Anderson - a member of the Giants' coaching staff who retired from playing last October after helping St Helens win the Grand Final - had originally been named in the Giants' 20-man squad.
The RFL ruled Anderson ineligible though, so Jackson's recovery is all the more significant with Sharp lacking cover in the position.
The Giants are definitely without Steve Snitch due to a knee injury while another prop, Keith Mason, is serving a one-match ban after being sent off for butting.Captain Chris Thorman returns, but Australian centre Shane Elford is out due to a hamstring injury, with Jamahl Lolesi switching to centre.
In Elford's absence, Michael Lawrence - a 17-year-old part-time player - has been included in the 20-man squad.
"Michael has been at the club since he was 14 and came though the scholarship system," said Sharp.
"He's still a part-time player but he's been training full-time with us this week.
"We're really excited about him, we've been blown away by some of the things he does."
Trio return for Wolves
Warrington Wolves welcome back Henry Fa'afili on Friday night in the only change to the side that beat Catalans Dragons last time.
Fa'afili is in his final season with the club after being told he would not have his contract renewed due to salary cap issues.
Kevin Penny is fit to play after picking up a knock against the Dragons but Vinnie Anderson and Chris Bridge, who were included in the initial 20-man squad, are still not fit to compete.
Stuart Reardon is also missing due to a shoulder reconstruction. The full-back will not play again this season.Warrington Wolves squad: Fa'afili, M. Gleeson, Grose, Bridge, Briers, Leikvoll, Clarke, Rauhihi, Morley, Westwood, Anderson, Parker, M. Gleeson, Wood, Pickersgill, Bracek, Harrison, Riley, Penny, Mitchell
Huddersfield Giants squad: Reilly, Lolesi, Brown, Thorman, Paul, Crabtree, Drew, Skandalis, Nero, Raleigh, Wild, Jones, Jackson, Griffin, Hudson, Gardner, Hemingway, Jensen, Cudjoe, Lawrence