There are a few contenders for signing of the season in this, the most unpredictable Super League season in history: but Jake Mamo must surely be among the favourites.
The former Newcastle full-back had to wait patiently for his debut at Huddersfield, not appearing for Rick Stone’s side until the middle of April. Since then however, he’s had a huge impact on the Giants in the league.
Things started slowly but, as Huddersfield prepare for a game against St Helens which could see them strengthen their position in the top eight following a great run of form, the stats behind Mamo’s first eight games in a Giants shirt are impressive – and a real reason in their upturn in form.
Form before and after Mamo’s debut
Huddersfield started the season strongly, winning two of their first three games, only suffering a defeat to Salford in between victories against Widnes and Wakefield. However, after that they failed to win a game until Mamo was back to full fitness and playing for Stone’s side.
Since then, they haven’t lost a game by more than seven points and they’ve won four from the last six. Clearly the return of other key players such as Leroy Cudjoe has aided Huddersfield’s fortunes, but Mamo playing has given the Giants a huge lift and helped to turn their form around.
Mamo’s impact in attack
The four tries Mamo scored in last Saturday’s victory against Catalans grabbed the headlines – but he’s been consistently on the try-scoring sheet prior to that. In fact, his 12 tries in seven games have been fairly evenly spread – and he’s only failed to score in one game: the 18-10 win over Catalans at Magic, which Huddersfield won.
The numbers also back up how much of an impact Mamo has made on their influence with ball in hand, too:
Average points per game scored before Mamo’s debut: 17.25
Average points per game scored after Mamo’s debut: 30.25
Mamo’s impact in defence
Those numbers in attack are matched by superb figures in defence too. Huddersfield were shipping over 31 points per game on average in the eight Super League games before Mamo debuted – including conceding 48 and 52 on two different occasions.
However, the eight league games since and including Mamo’s debut have been far more impressive. They’re now averaging under 19 points per game. Impressive form to say the least. And with those figures, it’s no surprise the Giants are forcing their way up the Super League table.
Average points per game conceded before Mamo’s debut: 31.25
Average points per game conceded after Mamo’s debut: 18.375