Adam Swift and how his tries are fuelling the rise of in-form Huddersfield Giants

Adam Swift has enjoyed a stunning start to life at Huddersfield Giants, carrying over his rich vein of form to his new club after arriving in the off-season from Hull FC.

On Friday night, the self-proclaimed ‘pretty boy on the wing’ helped Huddersfield to a famous win at Headingley.

As the Giants dramatically beat Leeds Rhinos 30-24, Swift scored a try and enjoyed an outstanding game.

There was nothing new there, however.

The 31-year-old wideman has now notched 14 tries in 10 games for Ian Watson’s men, a stunning run which is fuelling his new club’s emergence as a coming force.

Swift was kept quiet by Leeds during the first half, but after the break he was not to be denied, scoring a 64th-minute try for his 14th of the season in all competitions.

The winger’s deft offload sent Harvey Livett over moments later and further tries from Kevin Naiqama and Adam Clune in the last nine minutes sealed Huddersfield’s first victory at Headingley in six years.

While a fourth straight home defeat increased the scrutiny on Leeds head coach Rohan Smith, positives emerged everywhere for the Giants, with centre Esan Marsters proving largely unstoppable.

For Swift, it was further vindication that he made the right decision to quit Hull after four seasons and join the Giants.

“Yes, I’m really enjoying my rugby at the minute,” the St Helens-born flier told Love Rugby League after the game.

“We’ve got some good attacking threat throughout the team and we’ve always said that in these sorts of games we’re going to be able to post points.

“I’m just lucky that I can be on the end of so much class in the middle coming from the likes of Esan, Tui (Lolohea) and Jake (Connor).

“I’m just a pretty boy on the wing who makes everything look good.”

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In two games against the erstwhile employers this year, in league and cup, Swift has scored seven tries against them.

Assessing his current form, the prolific finisher said: “I think there was a point last season at Hull FC where I scored in about 12 or 13 consecutive games, so I’m still a little bit away from that.

“I had a good year last season at Hull, but it’s nice to carry my form into 2024 at Huddersfield with a new set of lads, new coaching and new set of fans and still doing my job.”

Adam Swift reaping the rewards of in-form Huddersfield Giants team-mate Esan Marsters

Swift is reaping the benefits of the good work in the centres of Marsters, Super League’s top metre-maker in 2024.

“Esan is having an outstanding season,” said Swift.

“He’s a threat with the ball in yardage and is playing some unreal rugby.

“I’ve got a lot of class inside of me with plenty of experienced players.

“With the way that Esan’s playing, he’s going to give me the opportunity to go over for some tries.

“And that’s what I get paid to do – to score tries – so I’m just doing my job at the end of the day.”

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Ian Watson: ‘Adam Swift has been outstanding since he joined us’

Watson was perhaps favourite to win the sack race at the start of this season but he looks to be fashioning the Giants into a potent force.

The close-season addition of Swift, who came through the ranks at Saints and played in their 2014 Grand Final win over Wigan Warriors, has brought a winning mentality.

Watson, who called the character of his team ‘phenomenal’ for coming back not once but twice to beat Leeds, said: “Adam Swift has been outstanding since he joined us.

“Last year we opened some spaces up, but weren’t able to finish them off.

“Now he’s finishing them and you can’t under-estimate the importance of having a winger who can sniff out a try and Swifty is a different level of quality.

“He is something that we needed, and something top teams should have in terms of speed and finishing.

“He’s unbelievably cheeky in terms of his character but what is really clear about him is how much he wants to win.

“It comes out in him when he talks, in training and in games, but he has fun doing it as well.

“He cracked a joke halfway through the game last week at Catalans towards me on the touchline!

“I’ve never known anyone do that, but he just loves what he does and is enjoying what he’s doing. Hopefully that continues and he can crack a few more then.”

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The success at Headingley was Huddersfield’s fifth straight win in all competitions and a Challenge Cup semi-final against Warrington Wolves is already coming into focus.

The sides meet at the Totally Wicked Stadium on Sunday, May 19 and Swift says his side will look to build further momentum heading into that clash.

It is St Helens away next up for Huddersfield on Thursday and Swift added: “We said in pre-season that we’ve put a really good plan together and that, if we stick to that plan as a playing group, we’re always going to be in games or up there winning them.

“We’ve found a bit of form recently, having embarked on this Challenge Cup run, and winning in the quarter-finals at Catalans last week was certainly a massive result.

“We’ve now come away with another win against Leeds, so the team has found a bit of form at the right time.

“It’s just about building on that when we go to Saints next week.”

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