Injury-hit Whitehaven have boosted their squad ahead of Sunday’s trip to Halifax Panthers with the help of Super League club Huddersfield Giants.
Down to 17 players after a crop of injuries, with two of them likely to miss the rest of the season, Haven have taken advantage of the loan market.
The 19-year-old Huddersfield hooker George Roby has signed on an initial two week’s loan, just a few days after he signed a new deal with the Giants which will see him remain with them until the end of 2023.
Roby signed for Huddersfield from Warrington back in 2020 and has featured in the club’s academy and reserve teams since then as well as making first team appearances on loan at North Wales Crusaders last season.
After confirming the signing, Haven head coach Jonty Gorley said: “With the injuries we have at the moment to Alex Bishop and James Newton, we were on the look-out for a nine.
“George has been offered to us for an initial period of two weeks, which is great news for us and hopefully he will slot right in. I don’t think he will have a problem with this, as he comes with a good pedigree. He is in a full-time environment at Huddersfield and he has also played England academy.
“He has all the attributes of a good nine. He looks very sharp out of dummy half and also looks like he can defend well in the middle.
“This opportunity also gives George the chance to play at a higher level than reserve grade and hopefully enhance his opportunities at Huddersfield, so this loan period is a win-win for both clubs.”
After signing his contract extension, Roby said: “I feel I’ve come on leaps and bounds since I first came to the club, and I’m enjoying my rugby.
“Watto (coach Ian Watson) is good at getting the younger lads involved in the first team and I’m enjoying my opportunities in training filling in for the senior players.”
Watson said: “He’s really matured and developed while he’s been with us so he’s been rightly rewarded with a new contract.”
Whitehaven director Ashley Kilpatrick thanked the Giants and said: “Firstly as a club we would like to thank Ian Watson, Andy Kelly and Huddersfield Giants for helping us out, when we needed a nine through losing James Newton and Alex Bishop.
“George has come through a good system at Warrington and moved on to Huddersfield Giants and he’s also an England academy player. His time at Whitehaven will also give George a chance to test himself at a good standard of rugby in the Championship.
“Speaking to George he can’t wait to get started and is thankful for the opportunity while we’re really excited to see George. We hope to help him with his progression within the game and hopefully the time here helps him break into the Huddersfield first team.”
