Huddersfield Giants starlet reveals secrets behind his dramatic rise as dream shared

George Flanagan Jr is living the dream as a rising star of Super League – and says a difficult campaign with Huddersfield Giants has toughened him up physically and mentally.

The full-back has been a shining light for Luke Robinson’s side this season and earned plenty of plaudits for his performances in a struggling but improving side.

Huddersfield have won just six of their 23 Super League games this season but they head to Wakefield Trinity on Saturday evening aiming for a fourth victory in five matches.

Last weekend, Flanagan Jr took centre stage with two tries in a man-of-the-match performance as the Giants produced an outstanding second half display to beat Warrington Wolves 23-10.

‘I just want to keep putting my best foot forward’

After that win, head coach Robinson praised the 20-year-old afterwards for bouncing back from a costly first half error which led to a Warrington try and also the previous week’s 52-4 thumping at St Helens.

Flanagan Jr told Love Rugby League: “Last week against Warrington, I gifted them a try and then missed the kick to make it 12-10.

“But Jake Webster came up to me and said, ‘you’ve got to win the game now’, so I tried to show a bit of energy and it went my way.

“I really enjoyed getting the two tries and the win, so I just want to keep putting my best foot forward.

“I’ve made a few mistakes but you’ve got to let it go and just move on – and that’s what Robbo tells me every week.

“He says, ‘if you bounce back then something good will happen’, and that’s what I’ve tried to do.

“I’ve worked hard on my physicality as well because I’ve never been the biggest body.

“I’ve always struggled to put weight on but, playing at this level, I have to be bigger, fitter and stronger so every day I’m working with the conditioners at Huddersfield.”

The former Bradford Bulls prospect has scored 10 tries in 19 Super League appearances this year and seen his reputation soar.

“I think I’ve grown as a person as well by playing in Super League and I’ve learnt to deal with things a bit differently,” he added.

“Like I say, sometimes if you do something wrong you’ve just got to let it go and that’s my mentality – move on to the next job.

“The senior boys get behind me if anything happens and I take confidence from that as well.”

‘Playing in Super League week in, week out is all I’ve ever dreamed of doing since I was a young kid’

The full-back’s speed and ability to beat opposition defenders has marked him out as a special talent.

“I just need to keep trying to let my rugby do the talking,” said Flanagan Jr, whose 38-year-old father George plays for Keighley Cougars in League 1.

“Playing in Super League week in, week out is all I’ve ever dreamed of doing since I was a young kid.

“I’ve grown up in a rugby-mad family and have followed my dad around in his career.

“My parents and my sister are my biggest supporters and they come to every single game when my dad’s not playing.

“They’ve been massive for me and to have that family support behind me is probably the reason I’m doing so well.

“Now I just want to write my own story and be my own person in Super League.

“I probably wasn’t expecting to play as many games – and play as well – as I have done this year.

“I was on loan at Hunslet last season and I think that really helped to grow my confidence because I was playing against men every week.

“Robbo game me a chance earlier this year when we had a few injuries, but half-back wasn’t my natural position.

“I’m more of a full-back and if someone had said at the start of the year I’d have played 19 games and scored 10 tries, I’d have snapped your hand off.

“I just want to keep building in confidence and seeing where it takes me.”

‘It’s about finishing the year strongly heading into pre-season and the 2026 campaign’

Flanagan Jr says he dreams of representing England and maybe playing in the NRL one day but his immediate focus is on helping Huddersfield to finish the campaign strongly.

He added: “It’s been tough at times this year, but we’ve kicked on in recent weeks and won more games than people probably thought we would.

“We’re missing some big names in the likes of Tui Lolohea, Adam Clune, Adam Swift and Liam Sutcliffe.

“But the young boys who’ve come in this season – Fenton Rogers, Kieran Rush and myself – have really stepped up.

“As a group we recently spoke about why we play the game and the boys have really done that, which has brought us even closer together.

“You could see that in the second half last week and now it’s about finishing the year strongly heading into pre-season and the 2026 campaign.”