Adam Swift feels new Huddersfield team-mate is akin to St Helens stalwart as he waxes lyrical over Giants starlet
Adam Swift (left) and Sam Halsall (right) are now Huddersfield Giants team-mates - Alamy
Huddersfield Giants new boy Adam Swift has compared Sam Halsall’s ‘natural talent’ to that of former St Helens team-mate Mark Percival, waxing lyrical over the youngster’s ability.
Winger Swift – a St Helens native – won the 2014 Super League Grand Final alongside Percival, who remains a part of the Red V’s squad at the Totally Wicked Stadium to this day having made more than 200 appearances for the club.
A decade on from that Grand Final triumph, having joined Huddersfield from Hull FC, Swift could line up alongside Wigan Warriors academy product Halsall for the Giants next year.
Halsall primarily featured out on the wing in 2023, but with the arrival of Swift, will more than likely fall into a centre spot, with the 22-year-old receiving high praise from his new team-mate.
Adam Swift feels new Huddersfield team-mate Sam Halsall is akin to St Helens stalwart Mark Percival as he waxes lyrical over Giants starlet
Speaking exclusively to Love Rugby League, Swift said: “I’m looking forward to playing with Sam. He’s a natural talent, the last person I played with like that was Mark Percival at Saints.
“He’s just naturally gifted and not really understanding of how gifted he actually is, which I get a little bit.
“He’s still raw and he’s still learning, but he’s athletic, strong and has got all attributes to even go on to represent his country one day, especially still being a young lad.
“Whether Sam is in my centres or if he’s on the other wing or even if he’s in the wing spot that I’m challenging for, he’s a great little player. He’s going to be a really good player, and I’m looking forward to playing with him.”
Halsall hails new Huddersfield recruit Swift with feeling mutual
Swift recently surpassed the milestone of 200 career appearances, with the 30-year-old scoring 22 tries in 26 appearances for a struggling Hull side in the season just gone.
One of those came against the Giants in July, and it’s fair to say that the feeling is mutual where Halsall is concerned, with the starlet admitting he’s relishing the chance to be the one feeding the elder statesman in for those all-important four-pointers in 2024.
Halsall added: “I’ve been training at centre this year. I’ve obviously done bits on the wing as well, but I’m looking forward to linking up with Swift on the wing.
“He obviously had a massive year for Hull, and he’s such a good player, so I’m just really looking forward to linking up with him on an edge.
“It’s really exciting, I just have to do my job and put him in those spaces. We know, because we’ve seen it for many years, that if he gets half a gap then he’s gone. I’m really looking forward to potentially playing alongside him this year.
“It’s not just myself, my competition with Esan (Marsters), Kev (Naiqama), (Jake) Bibby, I’m sure they all feel the same about Adam.”