Huddersfield Giants new boy Adam Clune outlines reasons for optimism as he looks to crack Super League

The half-back's journey to the top of the game was delayed by a succession of injuries, from two groin reconstructions to a dislocated elbow. He even sustained a broken nose in training on the day he was selected to make his first-grade debut.

Clune honed his craft in the New South Wales Cup while working and studying on the side, claiming the competition's half-back of the year award in 2019 for his influential performances in the colours of St George Illawarra Dragons.

With Jai Field and Matt Dufty for company in the spine, Clune led the Dragons’ second string to the minor premiership and convinced club officials that he was ready for the NRL.

Now 28, the scrum-half feels primed to play the best rugby of his career in Super League after being buoyed by the success of his old friends.

"I'm really good mates with Jai Field, Matt Dufty and Bevan French," Clune told The Yorkshire Post.

"I'm excited to see those boys go well as mates. They've had some success, especially Jai and Bevan in the last few years. Wigan won the comp last year and they've both been playing some unreal footy.

"That gives you some confidence but I've got belief in my own game. I wouldn't come over here if I didn't think I could play good footy.

"I've played enough footy and am old enough now. I feel like the next five years of my career are the best for a half-back.

"It gives me confidence seeing that a lot of the top half-backs over in the NRL are 32, 33 and older. I'm not saying I'm of that calibre but when you play for a longer time, you understand the game a bit more."

After replacing Theo Fages in the number seven jersey at Huddersfield, Clune will slot into a spine that features the creative talents of Jake Connor and Tui Lolohea.

If Connor and Lolohea receive plaudits in 2024, Clune will know he is doing his job.

"My focus, especially early on, will be to get the team around the park," added Clune.

"My job is to try and unlock the players here. We've got some really good runners and passers. Blokes like Jake Connor and Tui Lolohea are great runners of the footy and great passers.

"I want to bring organisation, kick well and finish sets high up the field. I just want to create space for the players around me and get the best out of them.

"Hopefully I can fit into the system well and bring my strengths to the team."

Standing at 5ft 8in, Clune is diminutive by rugby league standards.

The Australian instead relies on his brain to unpick defences.

"I supported the Knights growing up so Andrew Johns and Danny Buderus are two guys that I really looked up to and loved watching," said Clune, who has law and finance degrees.

"As I got older, it was blokes like JT (Johnathan Thurston), James Maloney and Luke Keary. They're smaller blokes like me and couldn't use their size to dominate the game.

"They have other assets and that's what I have to focus on as a smaller body. I'm never going to run over anyone or win the contest physically but if I can be smarter and use my wits, that's how I get the best out of myself and my team-mates."

Clune made 47 NRL appearances after spending two seasons at both the Dragons and Newcastle Knights.

Fresh from a campaign largely spent back in the NSW Cup, a new adventure appealed to Clune.

"I had opportunities to stay in the NRL but after speaking to my wife it felt like this was a good time for us to come over to Super League," he said.

"We don't have kids at the moment. They've got a good squad here at Huddersfield and we know a lot of people over here which makes that transition easier outside of footy.

"I had a chat with Watto (Ian Watson, head coach) before signing and really enjoyed how he spoke about the game. He's a real footy head.

"It's good to have a relationship with a coach where you can talk lots of footy, especially as a half-back when you've got things going on in your head."

Clune could not escape head noise as he battled injury in the early part of his career.

After coming out the other side, Clune is savouring every moment of his rugby league journey.

"I'm grateful to be a professional rugby league player and get paid to do what I love," he said.

"When I was going through those injuries, there was a while where I thought I was going to stop playing footy because I didn't think my body was going to hold up and I doubted whether it was worth it.

"To be over on the other side of the world doing what I love and to be able to bring my wife over is something really special. It's a really exciting time in our lives."