Huddersfield Giants’ NRL recruit helping young gun to ‘learn every day’ with targets set for 2024
New Huddersfield Giants team-mates Adam Clune (Circle) & Sam Halsall (Main Image) have quickly struck up a friendship - Alamy
Huddersfield Giants youngster Sam Halsall says he’s ‘learning every day’ from new signing Adam Clune, both on and off the field, as the pair prepare to line up alongside one another in 2024.
Halsall himself only joined the Giants ahead of the season just gone, making the move from Wigan Warriors where he had progressed through the academy ranks.
The 22-year-old managed to play 17 games in his first year with Huddersfield, scoring nine tries, but was a part of a side which ultimately flattered to deceive, finishing 9th, six points outside the play-off spots.
As Ian Watson’s side gear up to go again next year with improvement self-admittedly needed, Halsall and co. have been joined by Clune, a man he’s quickly established a ‘bromance’ with.
Huddersfield Giants’ NRL recruit Adam Clune helping young gun Sam Halsall to ‘learn every day’
28-year-old Clune – one of three signings from the NRL made by Huddersfield ahead of 2024 – joins the club from Newcastle Knights on a long-term three-year deal.
Jack Murchie has also been recruited from the Parramatta Eels, with promising hooker Thomas Deakin added to the Giants squad from Sydney Roosters, where the 21-year-old had been playing in the New South Wales Cup.
Speaking to Love Rugby League earlier this month, outside-back Halsall admitted he’s quickly struck up a friendship with half-back Clune.
The ex-Wigan ace said: “It’s obviously really exciting (to bring in players from the NRL), they’ve played at the highest level for a long time.
“Clune just brings that composure and calmness around the place, that’s also the case off the field. He’s only been in for a few weeks, but I’m already learning a lot from him every day, which can only benefit me in the long run.
“I’m travelling in with him now, so we’re starting to spend a lot of time together, and I’m learning a lot from him away from rugby as well.”
‘Everything that we do has got a meaning behind it’: Halsall and Huddersfield get stuck into pre-season
Clune, Halsall and the rest of the Giants squad still have a little over three weeks before their first hit-out ahead of the upcoming campaign, set to go up against dual-registration partners Dewsbury Rams in a friendly on January 21.
The 22-year-old says there’s plenty of hard work to be put in before then, with Watson and his backroom team methodically planning each session to bolster different areas of their game.
Halsall continued: “We’ve had a good six-week block coming up to Christmas, pre-seasons are always tough grafts every single day, and it’s all about mentality.
“It’s not easy as everybody knows, but you’ve just got to get through every session and give everything in every session too. You know it’s all for a reason, the sessions are all planned out by the coaching staff and everything that we do has got a meaning behind it.
“It’s about trusting in Watto and our coaching staff, and we do know it’s for the right thing. Even though they’re not the nicest of sessions sometimes, we all know it’s with good reason.
“I’m really, really looking forward to the year ahead, we all are as a team. Pre-season’s been good so far, and we’ll just keep pushing on now.”