Reseves out on Friday : Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:58 pm
Looks like giants have given up the ghost for Friday night. Extract from sportinglife
Challenge Cup finalists Huddersfield will give a debut to teenage full-back Elliott Hodgson in a much-weakened team against engage Super League leaders St Helens on Friday.
The 18-year-old local player, who scored a hat-trick of tries for the Giants' reserves in their 46-12 win over Bradford at the weekend, will take over from namesake Brett Hodgson, the Huddersfield captain who is one of four players ruled out of the trip to Knowsley Road through injury.
Hodgson, man of the match in the Giants' 24-14 Cup semi-final win over St Helens, has an Achilles problem, while back row forward Stephen Wild picked up a injury injury in Sunday's League defeat by Bradford and is the biggest injury concern ahead of the Cup final.
Also ruled out of Friday's last match before their Wembley showdown with Warrington on Saturday week are centres Paul Whatuira, who has pulled a calf muscle, and Jamahl Lolesi, who has suffered a recurrence of a stress fracture in his left foot.
"If it was the Cup final this week, they would be serious doubts," said Huddersfield assistant coach Paul Anderson, who put the injuries down to the Giants' failure to take Sunday's match against Bradford seriously.
"When you don't go out on the field with the right attitude and play soft you will get hurt and unfortunately one or two boys have come out with knocks," he added.
"But we have a fair-sized squad and there are some people who have not played over the last few weeks who will get their opportunity."
On the positive side, Huddersfield welcome back forward Andy Raleigh, who has missed the last eight matches with an Achilles injury, and prop Paul Jackson, who was rested against the Bulls, will return to captain the side.
Also pushing for Cup final places are fringe first-teamers Simon Finnigan, Michael Lawrence and Shaun Lunt while reserves Tom Hemingway, Josh Griffin, Keal Carlile and Larne Patrick are also set to face Saints.
Carlile and Griffin's only previous senior experience for the Giants was in the fifth-round Cup win over Rochdale in May, when the club fielded a virtual reserve team.
"I've got every confidence in them," added Anderson. "I know reserve grade is a million miles away from Super League but they will not let anybody down.
"These boys have been brought here to play Super League. We've no qualms in selecting them this week."
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