Matty English commits long-term future to Huddersfield

Huddersfield front-rower Matty English has signed a contract extension that will see him remain at the Giants until the end of the 2022 season.

The 20-year-old made his first team debut in Huddersfield’s defeat to Swinton Lions in the Challenge Cup in 2017.

English has made five appearances in the Claret and Gold this season, scoring his first try for the club earlier this month.

The England Academy is made up to sign a new deal with the Giants. He said: “I’m absolutely buzzing to have signed a new contract.

“I’ve always been at Huddersfield and it feels like home. Signing for four more years gives me the security to try to develop as much as I can to become an established Super League player.

“My debut feels like a lifetime ago now, playing away at Leeds, it was a good victory. Last season we kicked on after the Magic Weekend to secure a place in the top eight and hopefully we can do that now.

“I’m excited about the future. With all the youngsters that have signed on with Innes and Louis Senior and having young players like Sam Wood and me recently coming through, there’s quite a few of us youngsters that are all going to be here at the Giants for the next few years.”

Huddersfield interim coach Chris Thorman has worked with English for several years in the Academy and is made up to see English commit his long-term future to the club.

Thorman said: “We’ve invested a lot into him and I think he acknowledges that and sees it’s the best place for him to be.

“He’s relatively local, he’s come through our Scholarship and Academy system so there’s a lot of positives for our Club and it’s a real success story.

“I genuinely believe we have more of those players coming through and with Luke Robinson at the helm of the Academy, doing a great job at developing those players, they’re much readier for first-grade than they ever have been. Matty has been a great success story and it just shows what hard work, willingness and application can do for you in this sport.

“He’s got a great attitude. He’s got a good sense of humour, he doesn’t take himself too seriously away from the game, but when you ask him to do something on the field he does it as well as anyone I’ve ever met. He’s got a really nice balance to his personality but he’s also got a really good work ethic and is very focused.”