Ian Watson believes Huddersfield Giants have signed “a champion and a winner” in Kevin Naiqama.
Three times a Super League winner with St Helens, Naiqama will return to the competition after only a year away when he joins the Giants on a two-year contract from next season.
The Fiji captain will bring to Huddersfield the experience of more than 100 NRL appearances, for Newcastle Knights, Penrith Panthers, Wests Tigers and currently Sydney Roosters, as well as a stellar spell in England between 2019 and 2021 which brought four major titles.
The Giants have big ambitions under Watson, currently battling in the top four having reached the Challenge Cup final earlier this year, and they believe 33-year-old Naiqama is the ideal signing for their current position.
Watson said: “What interested me more about Kev was the person he is, the kind of competitive edge that he has. He’s a champion, he’s a winner.
“It’s those kind of players we need to push us to the top and win things. He’s different level of player.”
Naiqama planned to retire at the end of last season before joining Sydney and will be 35 in the second year of his Giants contract, but Watson has no concerns he’ll still be a fit, top-quality player then.
“He’s played for the Roosters (this year) and doesn’t look out of place in that quality of competition and squad,” said Watson.
“He’s always kept himself really fit so I’ve no worries over him whatsoever. He’s coming to us at a really good age.”
Naiqama will also bring great versatility to their squad, capable of playing across the whole backline.
Watson said: “He can play in all these different positions. I’ve seen him play some great games at fullback in the NRL, I’ve seen him play on the wing, he’s been phenomenal at centre for Wests Tigers and St Helens.
“He’s a team player and he’s the ideal person to come into our squad.”
What role he is given in the side will likely depend on the other business done by Huddersfield, in both recruitment and retention.
Watson insists Naiqama is “not a replacement” for centre Ricky Leutele, who is out of contract at the end of the year, though the Huddersfield coach made clear he needs a decision from Leutele soon.
“The club has sent him an offer again but this is it, we need to know where Ricky is at and what he’s doing,” he said.
“All the conversations I’ve had with Ricky, he’s saying he wants to stay here. We just need to get it over the line, because it keeps dragging and dragging.”
And the Giants are still looking to sign another centre, Jake Bibby, from Wigan Warriors for next year.
“Jake is somebody we’ve been speaking to, and we want that one to come off as well,” confirmed Watson.
Meanwhile, Jermaine McGillvary is very unlikely to play again this season after a timescale of between ten and twelve weeks was put on the winger’s knee injury.
Louis Senior was last week recalled from his loan at Hull KR to cover.
Watson is hopeful fullback Tui Lolohea won’t be out much longer with an ankle problem, though Oliver Russell was added to his list of worries with a shoulder injury suffered in Saturday’s defeat to Catalans Dragons.
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