HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS and York Knights occupy the bottom two positions in the Super League competition but that doesn’t mean they will serve up a game that won’t be worth watching.

The Giants have registered just two wins so far, having registered the shock of the season when they won 34-16 at Wigan in Round 6, following it with a 34-14 victory over this weekend’s rivals York the following weekend in Rivals Round.

Since then they have lost nine Super League games in a row, while slowly improving under new coach Jim Lenihan. Last week they were unlucky to go down 29-23 at Wakefield to a late interception try by Josh Rourke and their confidence has visibly grown, even without their absent captain Adam Clune.

This weekend Lenihan is able to recall hooker Zac Woolford after a head injury, while he recalls backrowers Harry Rushton and Joe Greenwood into his squad, as well as French fullback Tanguy Zenon. Tom Burgess and George King are the forwards who make way.

York sit four points ahead of the Giants with four wins in Super League so far. Last week they recovered from their 72-20 humiliation by Wigan to register a 20-14 victory against Castleford Tigers, mainly due to the influence of their returning veteran hooker Paul McShane.

This week they have lost Sam Wood and Harvey Reynolds to suspension and injury respectively, with their coach Mark Applegarth recalling Justin Sangaré and Matty Foster to his 21-man squad.

With Tara Jones taking charge of the game for her Magic Weekend debut, these two teams are likely to serve up an exciting opener to the action at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

SQUADS

Giants: 1 Niall Evalds, 2 Adam Swift, 3 Jacob Gagai, 4 Taane Milne, 6 Tui Lolohea, 8 Tristan Powell, 9 Zac Woolford, 11 Asher O’Donnell, 13 Harry Rushton, ,14 Fenton Rogers, 15 Matty English, 17 Joe Greenwood, 18 Kieran Rush, 20 Mathieu Cozza, 21 George Flanagan, 23 Chris Patolo, 29 Tanguy Zenon, 32 Oliver Russell, 34 Connor Wrench, 40 Cole Geyer, 43 Zane Dunford

Outs: 10 Tom Burgess, 16 George King, 26 Archie Sykes, 42 Lewis Jagger,
Ins: 9 Zac Woolford, 13 Harry Rushton, 17 Joe Greenwood, 29 Tanguy Zenon,

Knights: 1 Toa Mata’afa, 5 Scott Galeano, 6 Ata Hingano, 7 Liam Harris, 8 Jack Martin, 9 Paul McShane, 10 Paul Vaughan, 13 Jordan Thompson, 14 Denive Balmforth, 15 Xavier Va’a, 16 Justin Sangaré, 17 Kieran Hudson, 20 Oliver Field, 21 Kieran Buchanan, 23 Jon Bennison, 24 Will Dagger, 26 Nikau Williams, 27 Matty Foster, 37 Cody Hunter, 46 David Nofoaluma, 48 Tom Inman

Outs: 4 Sam Wood, 30 Harvey Reynolds,
Ins: 16 Justin Sangaré, 27 Matty Foster,

Referee: Tara Jones

STATS

Magic Weekend summary
Huddersfield: Won 12, Lost 5, Drawn 1 (66.66%)
York: First appearance
(Head-to-head: First meeting)

Last ten meetings:
Huddersfield 34, York 14 (SLR7, 4/4/26)
Huddersfield 74, York 4 (CCR4, 1/4/07)
Huddersfield 38, York 4 (CCR5, 21/5/06)
Huddersfield 50, York 12 (CCQF, 28/3/04)
Huddersfield 34, Ryedale-York 7 (SD, 14/4/95)
Ryedale-York 42, Huddersfield 12 (SD, 26/12/94)
(at Huntington Stadium)
Huddersfield 12, Ryedale-York 23 (SD, 10/4/94)
(at Leeds Road)
Ryedale-York 0, Huddersfield 8 (SD, 8/12/93)
(at Huntington Stadium)
Huddersfield 36, Ryedale-York 12 (YC-PR, 23/8/92)
(at Fartown)
Huddersfield 28, Ryedale-York 10 (YC-R1, 15/9/91)
(at Fartown)

Super League summary
Huddersfield won 1
York won 0
Huddersfield highest score: 34-14 (H, 2026) (also widest margin)
York highest losing score: 14-34 (A, 2026)