Huddersfield Giants forward Chris McQueen wants to cement a back row spot in 2021 amid significant competition at the Giants.
The 33-year-old arrived at the club on a three-month trial in September and impressed enough to earn a permanent one-year deal for 2021.
Much of his time last season was spent covering in the middle, but now McQueen wants to return to the back row spot that saw him make six State of Origin appearances for Queensland.
It’s a position that Giants coach Ian Watson has plenty of depth in – Kenny Edwards, Joe Wardle and Joe Greenwood have all been handed lower squad numbers than McQueen and others can also fill in there.
But McQueen said: “I want that to be my position for the year.
“When I came over there was a bit of an injury crisis and I was just filling in where I could.
“But I’d like to make one of those back row spots my own.
“I want to be one of those reliable players that gets the job done, while being somebody that other people like to play with.”
That target takes priority over any talk of a push for an England place, having won one solitary cap against Samoa in 2017 after McQueen qualified through his London-born father.
McQueen said: “Personally, my goals are just to play good footy here for the Giants, but I would never take my name out of the hat to be selected.
“I’m always available for rep footy and if that opportunity came I’d absolutely take it.
“But first and foremost I just want to play good footy week in, week out.”
McQueen landed at the Giants less than two weeks before previous coach Simon Woolford departed by mutual consent, in a season that saw a host of narrow defeats.
The former Souths, Gold Coast and Wests Tigers player has been impressed by Ian Watson since his arrival and believes he will have a significant impact on the club’s fortunes.
McQueen added: “He’s really driven about the culture of the team.
“He wants you to do all the little things right with your job for the other boys.
“I think it lacked a bit of that last year, the really strong culture stuff.
“I’m really excited to see what he brings to the club and I think it’ll be really good for us.”
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