Why Tui Lolohea isn’t a fan of Super League’s busy Easter schedule

Drew Darbyshire
Tui Lolohea Huddersfield Giants

Huddersfield full-back Tui Lolohea has admitted he isn’t keen on Super League’s Easter schedule, saying it can make or break a team’s season.

The Giants will play four games in the next 15 days due to Super League’s busy schedule.

Ian Watson’s side, who have enjoyed a strong start to the season, face Leeds on Thursday and champions St Helens on Easter Monday.

When asked about the Easter period, Lolohea told Love Rugby League: “I don’t like it.

“I feel like somebody has just come up with the idea of making money. We play like five games in 19 days which doesn’t seem right.

“It can make or break a season I think. Injuries are part of it. I’m touching wood, but some teams who are going well could have key players go down and they are obviously part of the reason why you are winning. If we can control what we can do, perform the best we can then I think that is all you can ask for.”

The Giants currently sit third in the Super League table, having won five from their first seven games of the season.

They have also reached the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup, where they will face Hull at Elland Road on May 7.

On being 80 minutes away from the final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Lolohea said: “It would be cool. I’ve been part of a semi-final in the Challenge Cup before and to be 80 minutes away again is massive.

“I want to win something in my career. I’ve not won something in my professional career so to win something is at the top of my goals, so it would be quite special to tick off.”

Tui Lolohea loving playing under Ian Watson

The Tonga international is in the form of his career right now, and is enjoying playing under coach Watson.

He added: “Watto has shown a lot of faith in me, not just at Huddersfield but at Salford too.

“I kind of think it is like a reward thing, I want to reward him for showing faith in me by playing good footy.

“We are quite close. I speak to Watto like we are mates sometimes and that probably sums up our relationship.

“He was part of the reason why I wanted to come to Huddersfield. He’d shown faith in me before and I wanted to kind of repay him because he was keen to get me again, so I wanted to repay him by playing the best I can.”

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