Huddersfield Giants confirm dual-registration partners for 2025 with hat tipped to young star

Huddersfield Giants have announced newly-promoted Championship outfit Hunslet as their dual-registration partners for 2025 following the success of George Flanagan Jr’s loan with the Parksiders last term.

Teenager Flanagan, who will turn 20 on Christmas Eve, joined Huddersfield ahead of the 2023 campaign. He is yet to make his senior bow for the Giants, but featured 13 times on loan for Hunslet in 2024 as they earned promotion.

Scoring eight tries in the process, the versatile back helped Dean Muir’s side to win the League 1 play-offs before going on to win the promotion/relegation final against Swinton Lions.

And after seeing how his stint at the South Leeds Stadium aided Flanagan’s development, Super League side Huddersfield have opted to make their link with Hunslet a permanent one.

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Huddersfield Giants confirm dual-registration partners for 2025 with hat tipped to young star

The partnership – a common one in rugby league – will see players from both sides able to play for one another, though in the most part will allow the Giants’ fringe players the opportunity to gain first-team experience and play competitive rugby league in the Championship for development purposes.

When a player goes on dual-registration, they will be eligible to play and train with both clubs. The player will be restricted to play in one fixture per scheduled round in any given week and would not be eligible to play twice over the same weekend if, for example, Huddersfield played on a Friday and Hunslet on a Sunday.

The dual-registration rule was introduced in 2013, and as the link-up with Hunslet was announced, Huddersfield’s Managing Director Richard Thewlis said: “The arrangement with Hunslet will work well in 2025 for us.

“They are on the crest of a wave after promotion and have strengthened their side to compete in the much tougher Championship competition.

“There is no doubt that last year George Flanagan was a huge boost for them in the final third of the year and he came on leaps and bounds during his time which was amply demonstrated in his man-of-the-match final display and he returns to us a much better player.

“Luke Robinson (Giants head coach) is very keen that our players get onto the competitive paddock week in week out which the reserves competition doesn’t do nor is it at the level of the Championship and our player feedback has always been that where possible the higher level of competitive action is preferred.”

Hunslet will compete in the Championship for the first time since 2015 come 2025 having won just five of their 23 league games last time they were in the second tier.

Parksiders CEO Neil Hampshire added: “I’d like to thank Richard for his support and particularly Luke and Dean Muir for their hard work on bringing this agreement to fruition.

“We’re making no secret of the fact that we need to make a step change to be as competitive as possible in the Championship.

“Entering into a dual-registration agreement with the Giants will underpin our recruitment drive and prove mutually beneficial to both clubs whilst supporting player development.”

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