'My time now': Sam Hewitt ready to become Huddersfield Giants mainstay after overcoming self-doubt

The back-rower had earned a reputation as a dependable understudy but relied on the misfortune of team-mates to get an opportunity.

Now, as the 2024 season comes into view, Hewitt has the number 12 shirt – a promotion from 29 – and a chance to become an established Super League player six years on from his debut.

It is a story of patience, perseverance and overcoming self-doubt.

Asked if he had ever considered moving on in pursuit of regular game time, Hewitt told The Yorkshire Post: "I didn't think about it too much up until the beginning of last year when there were times where I questioned whether I was good enough to play Super League.

"Looking back, I think I've really matured in the last year or so. Speaking with Watto (head coach Ian Watson) every week, he kept the confidence in me when it's sometimes hard to find yourself.

"I've been here quite a long time so I have been patient and bided my time. Me and Watto spoke about being patient sometimes as a younger player but coming into this season, I don't see myself as a young player anymore.

"I'm looking to be one of the senior players in the team and kick on. I think this could be my time now."

Hewitt has made 63 appearances for Huddersfield since his debut as a teenager in March 2018, more than half as a substitute.

The Giants academy product is fresh from his most productive season in claret and gold after featuring 15 times for Watson's side – but not before moving out of his comfort zone at Wakefield Trinity.

Hewitt played seven games for the Super League strugglers across two loan spells and did not taste victory until his final outing against Leeds Rhinos.

"It was a bit of an odd season," he said.

"I started off pretty much in the reserves at Huddersfield and then the opportunity came up to go to Wakefield which was Super League game time and experience.

"I thought it was a good idea to go there. With how Wakefield went, it was a very difficult time – towards the back end of my time there, they'd lost 14 in a row.

"I played a lot of minutes at Wakefield – and quite decent minutes I think – so when I came back to Huddersfield I was ready to go.

"I think that showed when I got back on the pitch. I found myself in the team quite a bit and stayed in.

"I'd like to think it was quite a good stint and I put in the performances that I needed to do to show Ian that I'd matured as a player."

Watson picked out Hewitt as one of Huddersfield's most consistent performers in the closing stages of a challenging year for his side.

The Giants boss spoke about young players showing inconsistency until they find their feet and understand what the game is about.

After getting minutes under his belt during previous spells out on loan at Workington Town and Halifax Panthers, Hewitt benefited from an eye-opening experience at Wakefield as they slid out of Super League.

"It was good for me," said the 24-year-old.

"It taught me a lot about rugby league, life in general and me as a person. There were a lot of tough lessons to be learnt.

"It shows you the real meaning of a team and what it means to be part of a team, to get around each other and pick each other up when you need to go again.

"It was a very difficult time but one that taught me a lot of lessons.

"When I got back to Huddersfield and got back out on the pitch, I kind of started to see the confidence in myself and it's really picked me up."

Highly fancied at the start of 2023, the Giants had to settle for a hugely disappointing ninth-place finish after winning just one of nine games in a damaging mid-season period.

Watson's men showed flashes of what they were capable of in the closing stages of the campaign but it came too late to threaten the top six.

Huddersfield are not saddled with the same expectation as they prepare for the new season, something Hewitt believes could benefit them as they aim to regain a lost habit.

"One word: consistency," he replied when asked what would constitute a good year for the Giants.

"We need to play well each week and grind out results by backing our defence and pinning teams down like we did the year before in 2022 and post points when we get the opportunities.

"On the back of 2022 when we reached the Challenge Cup final and made the play-offs, there was quite a lot of pressure there. This year there isn't as much focus on us after a disappointing year but that's not always a bad thing.

"We can go about our business and hopefully push for the top six and see where we are come the end of the year."