THERE will be no bold predictions from Huddersfield this year – only a commitment to grow, one step at a time.
With a new coaching team led by Luke Robinson and a significant turnaround in the playing squad – eleven out, many of them experienced, and six in – the Giants are in a rebuild phase.
As if the challenge was not great enough, a stack of pre-season injuries has hindered any hopes that Huddersfield could hit the ground running to start the new era.
Ultimately, however, instant success was not the expectation of Robinson, who has seen many grand ambitions come to nought in almost two decades of service to the club as player and coach.
The goal for 2025 is being set modestly, namely at improving on the ninth-place finishes that Huddersfield have been bitterly disappointed by in each of the past two seasons.
And the same applies longer-term too, of making positive progress in each season of the three that Robinson signed a deal for as head-coach late last year after an initial interim spell.
“If we make steps in the right direction, that’s what you’re looking for as a side,” said the 40-year-old, first-time boss.
“We can emulate Hull KR. They’ve built and they’ve built and they’ve built, they’ve got better each season and made a step forward each time.
“For us, it’s about being better than we were last year. It takes hard graft, and everyone pulling in the right direction with the same vision.
“Fingers crossed that’s what we’ve got here at this club. It doesn’t happen overnight but we’re striving for it to happen.”
In this off-season, that has meant waving goodbye to veteran campaigners such as Chris Hill, Kevin Naiqama, Adam Milner and Sebastine Ikahihifo.
With the exception of 32-year-old Tom Burgess – who is expected to “bring his experience both on and off the field to the younger forwards we’ve got and really inspire them to be better players” – their new signings are all aged between 28 and 30.
“We’ve lost a little bit of experience, but the players we have brought in are younger,” said Robinson.
“Rugby League is generally about having a good balance. You don’t want all young kids or all younger heads, you want that happy medium.
“Hopefully this year we’ve got a more evenly balanced squad and that will help us.”