Dave Craven: Keeping Brown crucial to Huddersfield’s hopes of silverware

You could hear the sighs of relief from Marsden right across to Scholes, Colne Valley to Holme.

I’m not referring to Terriers fans who had secured their golden tickets for Sunday’s football play-off final.

No, rather those other supporters from Huddersfield who will be equally elated this week.

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News that the Giants are keeping hold of their influential coach, Nathan Brown, for another year is of massive importance to their hopes of fulfilling the potential which has so clearly developed under the Australian’s guidance.

The quoted words “simply marvellous” are rarely seen in the often bland press releases churned out from clubs up and down the country, but you sensed Huddersfield’s managing director meant just that on describing the event; he is well aware of the impact Brown can have on his club going forward.

There are not too many highly-qualified coaches readily available and losing the 37-year-old to the NRL could have damaged the Giants’ advances seriously.

Voracious fans would, possibly, have hoped for more than the 12-month extension he signed but, given Brown was close to heading home for a second time in less than a year, they will know not to be too greedy.

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It was around this time last year when the former St George’s chief made a U-turn after initially announcing a return to Australia for family reasons.

Huddersfield had feared what he put off then might materialise now but Brown has opted on staying longer and finishing the job. That ‘job’ is primarily winning silverware.

Having transformed the club since arriving at the end of 2008, the popular ex-hooker has put in motion a three-year plan to deliver Fartown their first major trophy in decades.

Joint-top of Super League with Warrington this morning, they are handily placed to push on and reach Old Trafford, the silencing of speculation surrounding his future surely steadying the boat for that journey ahead.

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They came within 80 minutes of a maiden Grand Final last year and have undoubtedly strengthened since.

The loss of Brett Hodgson was not as savage as expected given Scott Grix’s quality showings since stepping into the 2009 Man of Steel’s boots this term, while scrum-half Danny Brough now looks like a man in full control of a team rather than the co-pilot version he played after his mid-season move from Wakefield last year.

But it is Huddersfield’s increasingly impressive youngsters who continue to enthral. Brown’s ability to bring the best out of rookies like Larne Patrick and Joe Wardle has been brilliant while Dale Ferguson, that less grandiose capture from Wakefield, has evolved quickly into one of Super League’s most compelling back-rows.

With a Carnegie Challenge Cup quarter-final at Castleford on the horizon, Huddersfield will believe they can reach Wembley for a second time in three years and possibly go one better by lifting that trophy.

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Brown maintained his latest decision would be largely influenced by his wife Tanya, who recently gave birth to their fourth child.

“It was a pretty simple decision really,” he said. “We always said that we would wait to make a decision until after the baby was born and the family are really happy here.

“When you are far away from home it is important to know that my wife and kids are happy.

“We have had a lot of good support from everyone at the club and the kids’ school and different things like that so we consider ourselves pretty lucky.

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“We are all enjoying the experience and, when you are living and working so far away from home, I think that’s very important.”

Huddersfield fans will hope the Brown family are all enjoying it still this time next year – so much so that maybe another extension is secured.