Huddersfield Town boss Lee Grant's admission regarding Radinio Balker and Dion Charles

In his general defensive duties, the Dutchman was similarly controlled, calm and unflustered against Plymouth Argyle.

That he performed like that up until the midway point of the second half as opposed to 90-plus minutes was the other part of the story regarding the former Groningen player, of course.

Thankfully, his exit from the fray was not down to an all-too familiar injury issue, which have bedevilled his time in West Yorkshire since joining Town in January 2024, but a need to carefully manage his minutes.

His start against Argyle was his first at league level since Good Friday after all and Lee Grant's decision not to push him too far after he started in the EFL Trophy four days earlier - his maiden Town one this term - smacked of eminent good sense.

The devout hope is that Balker - who should be approaching his peak years at 27 - will incrementally increase his game time as the weeks go by and not break down again.

Grant will be keeping his fingers crossed and touching on wood with the centre-half currently busy on international business with Suriname as they strive to reach next summer's World Cup.

A fit and firing Balker has plenty to offer, as the Town chief knows full well.

Grant said: "One hundred per cent. He knows he's got work to do.

"There's no one more pleased than me for Rads in terms of what he's produced in the last few weeks.

"Even starting the two games, back-to-back, was a real push physically from where he's been. I've got to be honest.

"The next step now is can we get you from 65 to 75, 80, 90? Because centre-halves have got to finish games. So let's get him there as quick as we can.

"Hopefully the international break and the games help him, but he's got to come back fit. So, I'm going to fine him if he doesn't..."

Like Balker, Dion Charles have left for international business with a discernible spring in his step.

Having got the goalscoring monkey off his back with his first league goal in Town colours last weekend - which followed his maiden strikes for the club earlier in the week in the Trophy win over Mansfield Town - the striker was entitled to feel a lot better about himself as he joined up with his Northern Ireland team-mates.

And how the 30-year-old needed something after previously having a rotten time of it since joining in the January window with a fair-sized price tag on his back.

Grant observed: "It's just taken off as quickly as that. But that's the game.

"You have to be ready. Imagine where we were three weeks ago. I'm not sure Dion would have believed you, in all honesty.

"Radinho (being) the same... Would he have believed you if you said: 'two starts, two top performances? I don't know.

"But you've got to be ready. So that means wherever you are right now in the squad or pecking order, be ready.

"And we've had some great examples of that in the group recently."

Also on international duty is Town keeper Owen Goodman, who joined up with Canada for the first time ahead of two friendlies against Ecuador and Venezuela after finalising his eligibility to play for the nation – having been brought up in Ontario.