Matty English opens up on Huddersfield Giants frustration and how close he came to Castleford Tigers switch

But the rot usually sets in away from the spotlight and the clues are not always obvious.

Take Huddersfield Giants, a club on the up after reaching the Challenge Cup final and finishing third in Super League in 2022.

The Giants were a well-oiled machine under Ian Watson, a coach whose meticulous game plan was carried out by a united team.

Unfortunately for Huddersfield, that season was a flash in the pan as a disconnect higher up the club filtered down into the squad.

As the Giants' Super League stock plummeted, so too did takings at local coffee shops.

It may seem trivial but once the Huddersfield squad stopped making an effort after training, club stalwart Matty English knew they had lost the team spirit that carried them so far only two years ago.

"It was broken, if I'm being honest," he said.

"I feel like there was no connection amongst the boys. When the boys don't go for coffees after training, you know the group is a bit broken. When lads are coming in just to get the job done and get home as quickly as possible, you know you've lost that team morale.

"As soon as Robbo (Luke Robinson) took charge, it was all about getting smiles on faces by doing fun stuff in training rather than just getting flogged.

"Getting all the boys swimming in the same direction can only be good."

English found himself in a different place altogether in the middle of this year when he joined Castleford Tigers on loan.

The prop made his Super League debut for Huddersfield in 2017 but faced an uncertain future after losing his spot in Watson's team following the Challenge Cup semi-final hammering by Warrington Wolves.

"For whatever reason, I just wasn't in favour," said the 27-year-old.

"It's someone's opinion, at the end of the day, and if I'm not in his 17, you've almost got to think about yourself.

"He just said I wasn't in his selection plans. I kept asking him what I had to work on to get into his team and he just said my face wasn't in his 17 at the time. That was quite frustrating because you want to know the reason.

"If I just wasn't in his top 17, that's fine but I'm at the age now where I'm not a young kid anymore and need to be playing week in, week out.

"I pulled him in one day to have a conversation about it and he was pretty happy to let me out on loan."

His time at Castleford allowed English to rediscover his love for the sport.

But for Watson's sacking in July, a four-game loan stint may well have turned into a permanent switch.

"There was a lot of emotion involved then," said English.

"I knew I was contracted here. I've been here a long time now and am hopefully going to get my testimonial in a couple of years. That's keeping me at the club as long as I'm enjoying it.

"I probably wasn't going to come back if I wasn't going to get played. I was happy enough to stay at Cas for as long as they'd have me.

"I was pretty frustrated not to be playing so to get the opportunity to go to Cas and play week in, week out was something I really enjoyed.

"I just liked the change, if I'm honest. I've been here since I was 14 and the whole new experience of being at a new club was like going to a different school. I had butterflies going in that first day.

"I started enjoying my rugby again. When Robbo called me back, I had a smile on my face again so started playing some of my better rugby."

Robinson's appointment as head coach has given English a new lease of life at the John Smith's Stadium.

Now the mid-season fog has cleared, English can see a brighter future for Huddersfield under Robinson.

"He had the backing of the boys and all the backroom staff as well," said English.

"He's been here a long time and done his trade as an assistant. He's a well-liked guy and not too far out of his own playing career so is still in touch with what it's like to be a young player and what we go through.

"He loves the place. If you ever see his kids come down to games, you can see they love it too.

"He shows his passion, whether it's anger or in celebration. He sings the team song like he's still playing."

At the start of a rebuild after consecutive ninth-place finishes, few will be backing Huddersfield to make the play-offs in 2025.

However, English feels Robinson's side could benefit from lowered expectations.

"You kind of like being the underdog and proving people wrong," he said.

"We know as a group that we've underperformed the last couple of years and it's about time we had a decent season.

"Ken (Davy, chairman) deserves it and we do, to be fair. We have got some quality and just need to get everyone together playing their best rugby."