The Huddersfield coach Paul Anderson has confirmed that Jamie Foster will end his year-long exile from the sport and make his debut for the club against Wigan on Friday as the Giants’ injury problems continue to worsen.
Foster, who has not played rugby league since leaving Bradford at the end of the 2014 season, joined the Giants on a trial at the start of this week, and will be thrown straight in for Friday’s televised match as Anderson prepares for their first home game of 2016 without as many as seven players.
The 25-year-old, who has played in a Grand Final with St Helens earlier in his career, is expected to start on the wing for Huddersfield, with Anderson insisting that the club have no alternative but to throw him in at short notice after naming a youthful squad for the meeting with Wigan.
“Jamie will play,” said Anderson on Wednesday. “He’s saying the right things but obviously he’s been inactive for a while. There is always a risk with that but we have no choice at the moment.
“What you are going to see over the next couple of weeks is the future of the Giants. We’re not likely to get anybody back soon. The young fellas will be loving it because they’re going to get an opportunity to play at home, on Sky, against Wigan, and challenge themselves.”
Anderson also confirmed that Huddersfield will be without their captain, Danny Brough, for at least another fortnight following a dead leg suffered at St Helens, while the full-back Scott Grix could miss as much as five months of action because of a shoulder injury as the club’s injury list deepens.
“Scott’s worst-case scenario is four to five months,” Anderson said. “He’s done the full lot on his shoulder. He had shoulder surgery at the beginning of last year and it’s the same shoulder. All the good work has been undone for him and it’s a longer rehabilitation because it all has to be done again. It’s quite nasty for him.
“Danny will be a couple more weeks and Eorl [Crabtree] played in the Catalans friendly and his groin was a bit sore. He played in the Saints game and he’s just not recovered so he’s seeing a specialist tomorrow. He might potentially be having surgery too – so that’s four to six weeks.”
