Ian Watson explains why he opted to join Huddersfield Giants

Watson has signed a three-year deal and brings with him his Salford conditioner Greg Brown - who hails from Huddersfield and formerly worked with Giants - as well as rehabilitation conditioner Carl Foulstone.

Having guided Red Devils to last season’s Grand Final and to Wembley this season, securing the 44-year-old Great Britain assistant is certainly a major coup for Huddersfield.

“I was attracted to the potential of the club,” said Watson, with Giants having finished seventh this term.

“Everything about it screams top-four; the stadium, the youth academy with the kids that can be brought through and the owner (Ken Davy) of the club who has proven over time that he wants to win and he’s backed the club in his pursuit of success.

“My short-term aims are to ensure the club moves to the right side of the table. The longer-term aims for the club have to be challenging the top teams in Super League.

“The footing the club has with the youth coming through, the location of the club and the owner means that it’s set up to do that.”

Watson has spoken with assistant Luke Robinson - who took over as interim head coach when Simon Woolford left in September - about the existing squad.

“There’s definitely areas for improvement, and there’s definitely good players there also,” he said.

“We’ve spoken with (managing director) Richard Thewlis about some ideas we have for improving the squad and we’ll all work hard to bring those ideas to fruition.”

Elsewhere, Hull KR have signed Fiji prop Korbin Sims from St George Illawarra on a two-year deal.

Moving the other way is Bailey Hodgson, the teenage Castleford Tigers full-back who has moved to Australia to join Newcastle Knights until the end of 2023.

Castleford have received an undisclosed fee for the 18-year-old who only recently made his Super League debut.

Leeds Rhinos, meanwhile, have completed the signing of second-row Bodene Thompson, 32, on a two-year deal after he initially joined on loan from Toronto Wolfpack in August.

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