HUDDERSFIELD coach Jim Lenihan is trying to top up the fuel tank as his charges struggle to match the stamina levels of some Super League rivals.

But the Australian has warned it may be the start of next season before it can be filled to the brim.

The Giants are yet to win under their new head coach, despite pushing Wakefield all the way in a thriller on Sunday, Josh Rourke’s late interception sealing victory for the hosts at the death.

Huddersfield have now lost their last nine, and their new coach has seen a need to do more on the training field.

“We’re still probably physically underdone compared to most other sides. We probably haven’t trained hard enough for long enough this year,” he said.

“Since I came in, our loads have increased a lot. But it’s a big shift and a big push to be doing this in-season.

“We’re probably training where the better Super League sides are but that comes at a cost. Because we’re putting on extra sessions during the week we are probably coming into games fatigued.”

Lenihan added: “We might have thought we were working hard before. Now we are training at a more appropriate level.

“We’re probably not really going to get across it physically until we get a pre-season, but the boys are working harder, they’re buying into what they’re doing and can see that they can change. Now it’s about marching on and staying consistent.”

Lenihan has seen signs of progress, not least Sunday’s display against Huddersfield, pointing out: “There are a lot of things we still need to keep getting better at but we’re starting to shift a little bit with our thinking and starting to understand that we can push other teams around too.”