Huddersfield Giants supremo Andy Kelly determined to get fans back on board in new role

A routine pre-season session at Huddersfield Giants' Laund Hill training base became a hive of activity after new signing George King fell in a heap.

The recent arrival from Hull KR had suffered an ankle dislocation, a sickening injury that represents an early setback for player and club at the start of a new era.

After checking on King's welfare and ensuring he got the medical attention he needed, Kelly could have been forgiven for running through Huddersfield's middle options in his head to determine where the injury left the club for the early part of 2025.

Fortunately for the Giants, Kelly has seen most things in an affinity with rugby league that has spanned almost half a century.

"My love for the sport runs very deep," he said.

"It's not always your most favoured ally and doesn't always treat you the way it should but the very fact that people have such longevity in the game and keep bouncing back from adversity shows the effect rugby league can have on you.

"I'm rapidly approaching 50 years involved in the game so I must love something about it."

After rising to prominence in the greatest Hull KR team of all time, Kelly led hometown club Wakefield Trinity to Super League as head coach in 1998 following two stints as a player.

He had spells in charge of Gateshead Thunder, Featherstone Rovers, Dewsbury Rams and Ireland before joining Huddersfield in 2014, initially as head of youth development.

With experience in a variety of roles at the Giants alone, the 64-year-old could hardly be better qualified for his new position as the man responsible for Huddersfield's on-field fortunes.

Asked if the director of rugby role felt like a natural fit, Kelly replied: "For me it does.

"It's something I always aspired to do and a natural progression.

"There are elements of the job that are fairly new to me that have previously been done by other members of the management and administration staff. There are things in the last few weeks that I've had to learn about and I think that will be a constant thing over the coming months.

"A lot of it is revisiting things I did as a head coach at Wakefield, Dewsbury and Featherstone. It's new territory but in a way I'm revisiting it."

Kelly has been tasked with reviving Huddersfield's fortunes after the promise shown in 2022 proved to be a false dawn.

The Giants are rebuilding led by two men who have claret and gold running through their veins.

One of the biggest challenges facing Kelly and head coach Luke Robinson is to solve the age-old issue of low attendances by giving the town a rugby league team to get behind.

"I'm very excited about the next phase for Huddersfield and what we're trying to achieve," said Kelly.

"Luke Robinson has been here longer than I have and is as deeply entrenched as anyone at the club.

"We all want the same thing and that's really important at this time. It's something I've been quite keen to pass over to the supporters. We're probably at the most frustrating point for a long time but that's when we need them the most.

"It's easier to stand back, criticise and walk away but actually stand closer and support us more now.

"I think it will continue to be a struggle (to attract bigger crowds) in so much that the team on the field hasn't been delivering something that people want to pay to watch.

"The first thing we need to do is look at ourselves and not criticise the support because the support is there. We've just got to give them something that's worth paying for."

Huddersfield secured their Super League place for 2025 following the switch to a grading system but their longer-term future is uncertain after they were left on the borderline and in range of ambitious Championship clubs.

The goal for the Giants is to boost their score beyond the 15 points required for a guaranteed top-flight berth.

"We're very focused on making sure we don't fall away and we actually become stronger and deeply embedded in that scoring system," said Kelly.

"IMG are very focused on hits and people being aware of what we're doing through various social media, bums on seats and eyes on the TV.

"It's really about getting the product on the field right and making sure what we do off the field to advertise that product is seen by more people.

"There are changes behind the scenes that should help us with our score. As has been mooted recently, being in a different venue might help in the long term.

"I have no update on that. That's with Ken and the directors to try and identify the ideal site for us with all the other partners."

On the field, Huddersfield were process-driven under Ian Watson, an approach that worked for a period but quickly tested the fans' patience.

With Kelly's backing, the Giants will release the handbrake under Robinson.

"I think we've got a chance now to actually give people what they want – and that's something a little bit more exciting and something they can get behind," said Kelly.

"Luke is a very knowledgeable coach and a very tough person. He's very determined about what he wants and how he wants the team to play.

"If that all falls into place, I believe I can support his role and give him a sounding board to throw against and ask for advice. That's my role – to support what he's doing."

As for Huddersfield's 2025 prospects, Kelly is not in the business of settling for mediocrity.

"We've got to have a target," he added.

"Whatever the reality might be, our optimism and planning is to be in the top six. At the start of the season, that's our benchmark.

"You've got to be optimistic – but there are a few teams that will take some shifting."