HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS head coach Ian Watson has hit back against comments made by Sky Sports pundit Sam Tomkins following his side’s 36-6 win over Castleford Tigers last Friday.
The Giants were sparked into life when Will Pryce came off the bench following an injury to Theo Fages, with Pryce scoring a try and laying the platform for more with a brilliant performance.
After the game, Tomkins questioned Watson’s decision to leave him on the bench.
“He’s the best spine player they’ve got,” Tomkins said on Sky Sports. “He can do things that no other player in that Huddersfield squad can do.
“Ian Watson has just described him as phenomenal, and he has him coming off the bench. If you’ve got a phenomenal player does he not get in the 13?”
Now Watson has hit back, stating: “I’ve seen a couple of comments, but that’s what they are there for on Sky to get interesting topics brought up, the easy one is Will came on and played phenomenal. The weeks before he probably wasn’t on that level.
“In Sam Tomkins’ career, he came in and scored five tries in his first game and then he didn’t play in the first team all year again. The year after he was in and out and on the bench and then starting. It’s about developing the players.
“There are some good players here at Huddersfield. Will knows he is part of a team here and he knows that sometimes he will have to sit on the bench and other times he may start.
“That’s nothing to do with his ability, it’s down to what we see as the team at the time. Those comments don’t really worry me, I don’t worry about outside noise.”
