Quote:Ahead of Saturday evenings engage Super League Qualifying Play-Off against St Helens, Huddersfield Giants Managing Director Richard Thewlis takes a look back at an already historic season for the Claret and Gold Club.

The Giants finished the regular season in third place, their highest ever Super League finish and their best in the top flight in 47 years. This is a significant improvement on the tenth placed finish in the previous season. Nathan Brown’s troops also recorded the best defence in the competition conceding only 416 points, which is the second best in the last ten years of Super League (Leeds bettered this by 3 points in 2008 conceding only 413 points). The Giants had the third best offence in engage Super League XV scoring 690 points and the second best points difference.

Thewlis is delighted with the season to date:

“There is no doubt at all that statistically on virtually every count this has been our best year in living memory. We have a team full of internationals who have been brought together on the field by Nathan and his staff in splendid style and who deliver entertaining rugby league. I believe there is still more to come from this team and like the supporters am looking forward to an exciting play off series.”

The Carnegie Challenge Cup Finalists defeated three engage Super League Clubs on the Road to Wembley and although they lost out to Warrington on the day, Thewlis highlighted the significance of the second trip to the capital in four years:

“Wembley is a very special place in the world of sport and especially Rugby League. From our semi final win we said consistently that we had to build in every area of the Club on the back of Wembley. The consistency of Challenge Cup performance in recent years together with the media exposure has elevated our Club to new heights. People want to be associated with success and we are consistently delivering that with the cup simply fast tracking us forward such is its media coverage and the way that over the years it has become embedded into the countries sporting heritage. It was particularly pleasing that this year around we clearly had significantly more support on the day than in 2006 and we estimated around 18,000 to 20,000 were our supporters. The key is to getting them to the Galpharm week in week out and to do simple things like wear our shirts around the town and demonstrate to everyone that the claret and gold army is visibly growing at all our games.”

At the Galpharm, the Claret and Gold once again recorded an increase in attendances with an average of 7,909 in engage Super League XV. The Giants were one of only three clubs in the League to increase and they continued the year on year home attendance progress since 2005. This figure was even more significant taking into account the recession and the fact that away attendances at the Galpharm were down by 25%.

“This has been a difficult year for all clubs with the recession biting hard. Our figures are actually better than they first appear as our home support is significantly up on last year given the success of our marketing initiatives and this was the key for us. Despite us maintaining our status as the lowest prices in the game for travelling families we, like all clubs, have seen a drop in away attendees to the tune of around 25% in our specific case. To be successful we have to grow our own home support base and basically treat any away followers as bonuses. Overall though we are still some way below where we want to be so will continue to aggressively promote our season tickets in our market place and when they are available from as little as £60 or £95 for the entire season its easy to understand why I am confident that we will continue to drive our average attendance upwards. No other club is taking the same bold pricing stance that we are and the feedback that I have had to date has been very positive from both existing and new ticket holders."

Other highlights of the Giants engage Super League XV season:

Ø Eorl Crabtree and Scott Moore represented England in the mid-season test against France
Ø Brett Hodgson named Rugby League Writers Association Player of the Year and shortlisted for Man of Steel Award
Ø Brett Hodgson and Scott Moore named in the 2009 engage Super League Dream Team
Ø The Giants Reserve side finished third in the Reserve Team table and were unbeaten at home in the regular season
Ø This season has seen a number of emerging Super League players represent the first team from the reserve and academy grades including: Elliot Hodgson, Alex Brown, Larne Patrick, Keal Carlile, Josh Griffin and Tom Hemingway
Ø The Giants will next week be announcing an Academy trip to Australia which will take place next July/August
Ø Eorl Crabtree signed a 5 year contract extension
Ø The Giants fielded a ‘non overseas 17’ in the engage Super League game against St Helens which is believed to be only the second time in Super League this has happened.
Ø Three confirmed big name signings in 2010 in David Fa’alogo, Lee Gilmour and Brad Drew

2010 Season Tickets are on sale now and with packages on offer designed to be affordable whatever supporters budgets, Thewlis encouraged the claret and gold faithful to sign up to the Giants Revolution for next year:

“Our Season Ticket packages are on sale now and have been for a while. I understand that Wembley was an expensive trip and one that most would not have budgeted for so to help ease the cashflow positions of individuals we introduced our easy payment interest free plan. Without going into the specifics (see http://www.giantsrl.com or call the ticket office 0870 44 44 552) we are offering split payment plans designed to help everyone with the time span of repayment down to the individual. Provided that payment is in prior to the end of January we really can be flexible. Early signs are good and, of course, if any of our existing holders can bring a new season ticket holder then they can get theirs for just £60 (or share the benefit with their new holder - its up to them).”

”What has to be the underlying message from me though is the benefit that early commitment brings to the club. It helps our forward planning immensely if people can sign up at the earliest opportunity and I genuinely think that with the influx of new players next year we can continue to improve and move forward as a club. It’s fair to say that the current side is the best in living memory and our aim is to continue to make that statement as we cement our place in the top echelons of the game on a consistent basis. The supporters have a huge role to play in this by signing up to the ticket offers and by persuading others to join up too. Ken (Davy) often says we can’t do this alone - we are all in it together and in my time at the helm here the fans have never let us down and I am sure this trend will continue.”

Quote:Ahead of Saturday evenings engage Super League Qualifying Play-Off against St Helens, Huddersfield Giants Managing Director Richard Thewlis takes a look back at an already historic season for the Claret and Gold Club.

The Giants finished the regular season in third place, their highest ever Super League finish and their best in the top flight in 47 years. This is a significant improvement on the tenth placed finish in the previous season. Nathan Brown’s troops also recorded the best defence in the competition conceding only 416 points, which is the second best in the last ten years of Super League (Leeds bettered this by 3 points in 2008 conceding only 413 points). The Giants had the third best offence in engage Super League XV scoring 690 points and the second best points difference.

Thewlis is delighted with the season to date:

“There is no doubt at all that statistically on virtually every count this has been our best year in living memory. We have a team full of internationals who have been brought together on the field by Nathan and his staff in splendid style and who deliver entertaining rugby league. I believe there is still more to come from this team and like the supporters am looking forward to an exciting play off series.”

The Carnegie Challenge Cup Finalists defeated three engage Super League Clubs on the Road to Wembley and although they lost out to Warrington on the day, Thewlis highlighted the significance of the second trip to the capital in four years:

“Wembley is a very special place in the world of sport and especially Rugby League. From our semi final win we said consistently that we had to build in every area of the Club on the back of Wembley. The consistency of Challenge Cup performance in recent years together with the media exposure has elevated our Club to new heights. People want to be associated with success and we are consistently delivering that with the cup simply fast tracking us forward such is its media coverage and the way that over the years it has become embedded into the countries sporting heritage. It was particularly pleasing that this year around we clearly had significantly more support on the day than in 2006 and we estimated around 18,000 to 20,000 were our supporters. The key is to getting them to the Galpharm week in week out and to do simple things like wear our shirts around the town and demonstrate to everyone that the claret and gold army is visibly growing at all our games.”

At the Galpharm, the Claret and Gold once again recorded an increase in attendances with an average of 7,909 in engage Super League XV. The Giants were one of only three clubs in the League to increase and they continued the year on year home attendance progress since 2005. This figure was even more significant taking into account the recession and the fact that away attendances at the Galpharm were down by 25%.

“This has been a difficult year for all clubs with the recession biting hard. Our figures are actually better than they first appear as our home support is significantly up on last year given the success of our marketing initiatives and this was the key for us. Despite us maintaining our status as the lowest prices in the game for travelling families we, like all clubs, have seen a drop in away attendees to the tune of around 25% in our specific case. To be successful we have to grow our own home support base and basically treat any away followers as bonuses. Overall though we are still some way below where we want to be so will continue to aggressively promote our season tickets in our market place and when they are available from as little as £60 or £95 for the entire season its easy to understand why I am confident that we will continue to drive our average attendance upwards. No other club is taking the same bold pricing stance that we are and the feedback that I have had to date has been very positive from both existing and new ticket holders."

Other highlights of the Giants engage Super League XV season:

Ø Eorl Crabtree and Scott Moore represented England in the mid-season test against France
Ø Brett Hodgson named Rugby League Writers Association Player of the Year and shortlisted for Man of Steel Award
Ø Brett Hodgson and Scott Moore named in the 2009 engage Super League Dream Team
Ø The Giants Reserve side finished third in the Reserve Team table and were unbeaten at home in the regular season
Ø This season has seen a number of emerging Super League players represent the first team from the reserve and academy grades including: Elliot Hodgson, Alex Brown, Larne Patrick, Keal Carlile, Josh Griffin and Tom Hemingway
Ø The Giants will next week be announcing an Academy trip to Australia which will take place next July/August
Ø Eorl Crabtree signed a 5 year contract extension
Ø The Giants fielded a ‘non overseas 17’ in the engage Super League game against St Helens which is believed to be only the second time in Super League this has happened.
Ø Three confirmed big name signings in 2010 in David Fa’alogo, Lee Gilmour and Brad Drew

2010 Season Tickets are on sale now and with packages on offer designed to be affordable whatever supporters budgets, Thewlis encouraged the claret and gold faithful to sign up to the Giants Revolution for next year:

“Our Season Ticket packages are on sale now and have been for a while. I understand that Wembley was an expensive trip and one that most would not have budgeted for so to help ease the cashflow positions of individuals we introduced our easy payment interest free plan. Without going into the specifics (see http://www.giantsrl.com or call the ticket office 0870 44 44 552) we are offering split payment plans designed to help everyone with the time span of repayment down to the individual. Provided that payment is in prior to the end of January we really can be flexible. Early signs are good and, of course, if any of our existing holders can bring a new season ticket holder then they can get theirs for just £60 (or share the benefit with their new holder - its up to them).”

”What has to be the underlying message from me though is the benefit that early commitment brings to the club. It helps our forward planning immensely if people can sign up at the earliest opportunity and I genuinely think that with the influx of new players next year we can continue to improve and move forward as a club. It’s fair to say that the current side is the best in living memory and our aim is to continue to make that statement as we cement our place in the top echelons of the game on a consistent basis. The supporters have a huge role to play in this by signing up to the ticket offers and by persuading others to join up too. Ken (Davy) often says we can’t do this alone - we are all in it together and in my time at the helm here the fans have never let us down and I am sure this trend will continue.”