Huddersfield Giants facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Huddersfield Giants

Club information
Full name	Huddersfield Giants Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Giants Fartown The Claret and Golds Cowbell Army
Colours	Claret and Gold
Founded	1864; 161 years ago (1864)
Current details
Ground(s)	John Smith's Stadium (24,500)
Chairman	Keith Hellawell (interim)
Coach	Luke Robinson
Captain	Chris Hill Leroy Cudjoe
Competition	Super League
2023 season	9th
Uniforms
Home colours
Records
Championships	7 (1912, 1913, 1915, 1929, 1930, 1949, 1962)
Challenge Cups	6 (1913, 1915, 1920, 1933, 1945, 1953)
Other top-tier honours	24

The Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, England. They play their home games at the John Smith's Stadium. The Giants compete in Super League, which is the top level of rugby league in Britain.

The club has won the League Championship seven times. They have also won the Challenge Cup six times. Their team colours are claret and gold. The Giants have rivalries with many other clubs, including Warrington, Leeds, and Bradford.

History of the Huddersfield Giants

How the Club Started (1848–1894)

The first record of a football match in the Huddersfield area was in 1848. Men from Hepworth played against men from Holmfirth. The Hepworth team won a tough game.

In 1850, the Apollo Gymnasium opened. It was a place where young men could do sports like fencing, swimming, and cricket.

When the gymnasium became a theatre in 1864, the athletes formed the Huddersfield Athletic Club. They met on November 16, 1864, and formed a committee. This club is the oldest Rugby League club, celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2014.

In 1866, the Huddersfield Athletic Club started a football section. At first, members had to pay a small fee. As the football club grew, it helped the Athletic Club get more members. By 1870, three players were chosen to play for Yorkshire.

Huddersfield with the Yorkshire Cup in 1890

In 1875, the Huddersfield Athletic Club and St John's Cricket Club decided to join together. They formed the Huddersfield Cricket and Athletics Club. The football section moved to the Fartown ground in 1878. This ground became the club's home for 114 years and gave them their famous "Fartown" nickname.

The Golden Years (1895-1920s)

In 1895, the club helped start the Northern Rugby Football Union. This later became the Rugby Football League. For the first 60 years of rugby league, Huddersfield was one of the strongest teams.

Harold Wagstaff played his first game for Huddersfield in 1906 when he was just 15 years old. He was the youngest first-team player at the time.

Huddersfield beat the touring Australian team (Kangaroos) in 1908. They were so impressed with player Albert Rosenfeld that they signed him that evening.

The club's best period was around the First World War. They had a team of players from all over the British Empire. This team was known as "The Team of All Talents." They were led by Harold Wagstaff and won 13 trophies in the five years before the war.

Three players from this team, Harold Wagstaff, Albert Rosenfeld, and Douglas Clark, were chosen for the original Rugby League Hall of Fame. Huddersfield has five players in the Hall of Fame, more than any other club.

Huddersfield in 1915, celebrating winning "All Four Cups" in the 1914–15 season.

"The Team of All Talents" was famous for their amazing attacking play. In 1911–12, Rosenfeld became the first player to score more than 50 tries in a season, scoring 78! His teammate, Stan Moorhouse, scored 52. In 1913–14, Rosenfeld broke his own record with 80 tries, which is still a record today.

On February 28, 1914, the club beat Swinton Park by a huge score of 119–2 in a Challenge Cup game. Rosenfeld scored 7 tries in that match. This record stood until 1994 when Huddersfield broke it again, beating Blackpool Gladiators 142–4.

In the 1914–15 season, Huddersfield became only the second team to win "all four cups." They won the Championship, the Challenge Cup, the Yorkshire County Cup, and the Yorkshire League. Before the league was stopped in 1915, Huddersfield went unbeaten for 38 matches in a row.

In the 1919–20 season, Huddersfield won their first five games. This meant they had an unbeaten run of 43 matches over six years, which is still a record today.

After the Wars

After World War II, Huddersfield won the League Championship in 1949. They beat Warrington 13–12 in the final in front of a record crowd of 75,194 people. They also won the Yorkshire League title that season.

The biggest crowd at Fartown to watch a Huddersfield game was 32,912 against Wigan in 1950. In 1951, Australian player Lionel Cooper scored a club record ten tries in one game!

Huddersfield won the Challenge Cup in 1953, beating St. Helens 15–10 at Wembley. In the 1961–62 season, Huddersfield won the Championship play-off final. This was the last major trophy the club won for a long time.

Tough Times and Comeback (1970–1995)

By the 1970s, the club was not doing well. The old Fartown ground was falling apart, and the team often finished at the bottom of the league. In 1984, the club changed its name to 'Barracudas' and the ground to Arena 84, but it didn't help much.

In 1989, a new group of directors took over and helped the club financially. They brought back the old names and started to improve the team and the stadium. Crowds began to grow again.

In 1991, Alex Murphy became the coach. Huddersfield won the newly formed third division in 1991–92. This meant they were promoted to the Second Division. In 1992, the club moved from Fartown to Huddersfield Town's ground at Leeds Road.

In 1993, Huddersfield won a special European Clubs Championship "final" against XIII Catalan in Barcelona. In 1994, Huddersfield moved to the new McAlpine Stadium (now John Smith's Stadium). In November 1994, Huddersfield set a world record for the highest score and winning margin, beating Blackpool Gladiators 142–4.

Entering the Super League Era (1996–Present)

In 1996, British rugby league started the Super League and changed to a summer season. Ken Davy became the chairman of Huddersfield, and "Giants" was added to the team name.

In 1997, Huddersfield won the Divisional Championship. In 1998, they were promoted to Super League. However, the team struggled in Super League, winning only a few games.

Mal Reilly became coach in 1999. Huddersfield finished last in Super League. Later in 1999, the club joined with Sheffield Eagles for one season, becoming the Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants. This didn't work out, and the club went back to being just Huddersfield Giants.

Huddersfield in the 2006 Challenge Cup Final

In 2001, Australian coach Tony Smith took over. The club had a tough start, losing many games. But they improved a lot by the end of the season. In 2002, Huddersfield played in the Northern Ford Premiership. They had an amazing season, winning 29 games and drawing only one. They also won the Buddies Cup and the Grand Final, which got them promoted back to Super League for 2003.

Huddersfield after their defeat by St. Helens in the 2006 Challenge Cup Final

In 2003, Huddersfield became a strong Super League club. In 2004, they reached the Challenge Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1971.

In 2005, the club signed Australian international player Michael De Vere. In 2006, they reached the Challenge Cup Final but lost to St. Helens. This was their best achievement since 1970.

In 2007, Huddersfield had a tough start but then went on their longest winning streak in Super League, winning nine games in a row. They also made it to the play-offs for the first time.

In 2009, Nathan Brown became the new head coach. The team finished 3rd in the league and reached the Challenge Cup final, where they lost to Warrington.

Huddersfield supporters at Wigan

In 2013, Huddersfield won the League Leader's Shield. This meant they finished top of the league for the first time in 81 years! Five players from the team were chosen for the Super League Dream Team.

In 2014, the club celebrated 100 years since the "Team of all Talents" won "All Four Cups". They wore special throwback jerseys to remember this.

In 2017, the Giants improved and finished 8th. Sebastine Ikahihifo was chosen for the Super League Dream Team. In 2018, Simon Woolford became the new head coach.

In 2020, Ian Watson was appointed head coach. In 2022, he led the Giants to the Challenge Cup final again. They played Wigan at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Huddersfield led for most of the game, but Wigan scored a late try to win 16–14. It was a close game!

Huddersfield Giants players and fans celebrate reaching the 2022 Challenge Cup Final, Elland Road, Leeds, May 2022

Huddersfield finished third in the Super League in 2022. However, they lost in the play-offs to Salford. In 2023 and 2024, they finished ninth in the league.

Huddersfield Giants Women's Team

In 2017, Huddersfield announced they would start an under-19s girls' team. The goal was to create a competitive Women's Super League team. The Huddersfield Giants women's team has played in the Women's Super League since 2021.

In 2021, the Huddersfield Giants Women won the Super League Shield final. They beat Featherstone Rovers 24–22. In 2022, they reached the Challenge Cup quarter-final.

Academy and Youth Teams

The Giants have a very good academy system for young players. The Supporters Association helps raise money and supports these teams. In 2018, the academy team, nicknamed "Baby Giants," reached the top 4 grand final play-off semi-final for the first time.

Many players from the Giants academy have gone on to play for the first team. These include Jake Wardle, Oliver Russell, Innes Senior, Louis Senior, and Matty English. Other famous graduates include Huddersfield legends Leroy Cudjoe, Michael Lawrence, and Jermaine McGillvary. In 2022, 18 players in the first team squad came from Huddersfield's own youth system.

Home Grounds

Fartown Ground (1878–1992)

Main stand at Fartown

The Fartown Ground was the home of Huddersfield rugby club from 1878. It hosted two Challenge Cup finals. By the 1980s, the stadium was in poor condition. Huddersfield left Fartown in 1992, but it was still used for training until 2004.

Leeds Road (1992–1994)

Leeds Road

Huddersfield shared the Leeds Road ground with Huddersfield Town from 1992 to 1994.

Huddersfield Giants fans in block 7 get behind their team

Huddersfield Giants fans

John Smith's Stadium (1994–Present)

In 1994, Huddersfield moved to the McAlpine Stadium, now called the John Smith's Stadium. They share it with Huddersfield Town. This stadium can hold 24,500 people. The Giants' record attendance at this stadium is 15,629, set in 2008 against Leeds.

The club's Academy, scholarship, and Reserves teams use the facilities at the Laund Hill complex.

Giants Supporters

The Huddersfield Giants have a loyal group of fans. About 200-300 dedicated fans travel to away games. At home games, they average over 4,000 supporters. The fans are sometimes called "the Cowbell Army" because some bring cowbells to games.

There is also a group of fans called 'Block 7' at home games. They sing, chant, and create a lively atmosphere for the team.

The Huddersfield Giants Supporters Association (HGSA) is a group of volunteers. They raise money for the academy and scholarship teams. They also help organize games and collect donations for a local food bank. In 2019, the HGSA was nominated for an award for their work in junior and community development.

Some of the HGSA members presenting a cheque to Giants owner Ken Davy

Kit Sponsors and Manufacturers

Famous Past Coaches

Current Squad (2024)

Player Transfers (2024)

Players Joining

Player	From	Contract	Date
Jack Murchie	Parramatta Eels	3 Years	29 August 2023
Thomas Deakin	Sydney Roosters	2 Years	23 September 2023
Adam Swift	Hull FC	3 Years	25 September 2023
Andre Savelio		2 Years	3 October 2023
Hugo Salabio	Wakefield Trinity	3 Years	12 October 2023
Adam Clune	Newcastle Knights		26 October 2023

Players Leaving

Player	To	Contract	Date
Will Pryce	Newcastle Knights	2 Years	5 December 2022
Theo Fages	Catalans Dragons		11 August 2023
Jack Ashworth	Hull FC		October 2023
Owen Trout	Leigh Leopards		13 October 2023
Jermaine McGillvary	Wakefield Trinity	1 Year	28 October 2023

Players Released

Player	Date
Josh Jones	11 September 2023

Players Retiring

Player	Date
Chris McQueen	18 September 2023
Nathan Peats	20 September 2023

Giants Players

Hall of Fame Players

Seven Huddersfield rugby league players are in the Rugby League Hall of Fame:

• Douglas "Doug/Dougie/Duggy" Clark
• Neil Fox
• Mick Sullivan
• Albert Rosenfeld
• Harold Wagstaff
• Garry Schofield
• Eorl Crabtree

In 2006, Albert Rosenfeld was also added to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Team Seasons

Men's Trophies and Wins

The 3rd Division title winning squad in front of the main stand at Fartown

League Titles

• Division 1/ Super League:

Winners (7): 1911–12, 1912–13, 1914–15, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1948–49, 1961–62

• League Leaders:

Winners (1): 2013

• Division 2/ Championship:

Winners (2): 1974–75, 2002

• Division 3/ League 1:

Winners (1): 1991–92

• RFL Yorkshire League:

Winners (11): 1911–12, 1912–13, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1919–20, 1921–22, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1951–52

Cup Wins

• Challenge Cup:

Winners (6): 1912–13, 1914–15, 1919–20, 1932–33, 1944–45, 1952–53

• RFL Yorkshire Cup:

Winners (12): 1909–10, 1911–12, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1918–19, 1919–20, 1926–27, 1931–32, 1938–39, 1950–51. 1952–53, 1957–58

• RFU Yorkshire Cup:

Winners (1): 1890

• Championship Cup:

Winners (1): 2002

Women's Honours

• RFL Women's Super League Shield:

Winners (1): 2021

Club Records (Men)

Player Records

• Most tries in a match: 10 by Lionel Cooper vs Keighley, 17 November 1951
• Most goals in a match: 18 by Major Holland vs Swinton Park, 28 February 1914
• Most points in a match: 39 by Major Holland vs Swinton Park, 28 February 1914
• Most tries in a season: 80 by Albert Rosenfeld, 1913–14
• Most goals in a season: 148 by Danny Brough, 2013
• Most points in a season: 332 by Danny Brough, 2013

Team Records

• Highest score: 142–4 vs Blackpool Gladiators, 26 November 1994
• Highest attendance: 32,912 vs Wigan, League, at Fartown, 4 March 1950
• Most consecutive wins in Super League: 8 Games (2013).
• Highest attendance vs an international touring team: 26,017 vs Australia, (1948–49 Kangaroo tour)

All-Time Records

• Most tries by any player in a season: 80 by Albert Rosenfeld, 1913–14
• Most tries by a centre in a season: 52 by Greg Austin, 1994–95
• Most tries by a centre in a game: 9 by Greg Austin, vs Blackpool Gladiators, 26 November 1994
• Highest score: 142–4 vs Blackpool Gladiators, as above
• Highest winning margin: 138 vs Blackpool Gladiators, as above
• Longest unbeaten run: 43 matches, 1914–1919
• Unbeaten in a season: 28 games (27 wins, 1 draw), 2001–02
• Most points scored in a season: 1,156, 2001–2002

See also

In Spanish: Huddersfield Giants para niños