Huddersfield Giants v Wigan: Rallying call issued in face of Giants' injury woe

Last season’s Super League top try-scorer, who earned his England debut on the back of his 27 scores, will be one of the key men the depleted West Yorkshire side look to when they host Wigan Warriors in their second game of the new campaign this evening.

However, listening to him describe his display in the first – a 30-16 loss at St Helens a week ago – you would scarcely believe it.

“My performance was shocking,” a brutally honest McGillvary told The Yorkshire Post.

“It wasn’t great. Far from it. I’ve not been happy about it since and know I can do better.

“I just didn’t feel like I was in the game or gave the best I could.

“It was a young side we had out over at Saints and as one of the more senior players I wanted to be helping those guys out.

“But I didn’t feel my performance helped the team at all. The team didn’t play particularly well but especially me. I was probably one of the worst.

“I just can’t wait to get out again and put in a good performance against Wigan.”

In fairness, it is not often McGillvary plays badly; he is a consistent force who brings so much to his side and not just in terms of his prolific scoring.

He will be one of their leaders tonight especially in light of that injury woe; last Friday, captain Danny Brough (dead leg) and full-back Scott Grix (dislocated shoulder) came off against Saints, then on Tuesday their former England hooker Luke Robinson announced his immediate retirement due to a serious hip injury before Wednesday brought news that veteran prop Eorl Crabtree might require groin surgery.

All of them are out of tonight’s game against last season’s beaten Grand Finalists along with Joe Wardle, Kyle Wood, Jared Simpson and Craig Huby.

You would have forgiven Paul Anderson for cancelling yesterday’s Captain’s Run in fear of yet more casualties.

McGillvary, ahead of his 150th Giants game, admitted: “We’ve quite a few injuries and some with knocks but it’s up to the rest to step up and be counted now. We’ll have to do it hard against a tough team but these are the games you want to play in.

“After what we tossed up last week everyone should be raring to go and start putting it right.”

He will face Josh Charnley, whose place in the England squad he claimed for last season’s Four Nations after the Wigan flier endured a difficult 2015.

McGillvary insisted: “He’s a quality player and a proven one.

“He didn’t have the best of years last season by his high standards but he’ll be wanting to prove himself again now.

“He won’t just be after me but he’ll be wanting to do it for himself too. Wigan have so many quality players though. Sean O’Loughlin, I think, is one of the best in the world, then there’s Faz (Liam Farrell), George Williams, Matty Smith...”

Huddersfield will hand a debut to trialist Jamie Foster, the former St Helens winger who hasn’t played any form of rugby for around 12 months and who has been out of league since leaving Bradford Bulls in 2014.

McGillvray, 27, said: “He’s slotted straight in, quickly had some banter with the lads and knows a few of them like Jamie Ellis who he came through the ranks with at St Helens. His skills look up to scratch and he’s built as the week’s gone on.”

McGillvary, of course, earned a maiden place in the Super League Dream Team last season before making his England debut in the third Test win against New Zealand at Wigan that decided the series in the hosts’ favour.

That catapulted the Huddersfield-born player’s profile and he knows there will be further pressure to perform in 2016.

“I do get a lot more attention obviously but I think that’s just what happens if you’re doing well,” he said, Giants’ season ending with a deeply disappointing play-off semi-final at Wigan.

“It’s too early to say playing wise if it’s affected me. I felt sharp in pre-season. That first game didn’t go according to plan but that’s gone now as has what happened at Wigan last year.”