Huddersfield coach confirms Tui Lolohea return with Will Pryce also set to start

Huddersfield head coach Ian Watson has confirmed that Tui Lolohea will return for the Giants against Hull this Friday.

Lolohea, 27, has missed the last three games after suffering an ankle injury earlier this year. His last appearance came in the Magic Weekend win over Salford.

Watson confirmed that the Tonga international will return to full-back for their home clash in Round 22.

It means a positional change for Will Pryce, who is set to remain in the starting 13.

19-year-old Pryce has started at full-back for the last three games in replacement of Lolohea.

The Giants will be without half-back Oliver Russel due to a Grade B Tripping charge picked up in the win over Warrington. He received a one-match ban.

Leroy Cudjoe also returns having served his suspension.

Tui Lolohea to start at full-back

“Tui has come through everything he’s needed to come through,” said Watson. “Josh Jones will move back into the back-row. Luckily we’ve got a few extra bodies back which is good. We’ve named our biggest squad for a while with 20.

“Tui will come in at full-back. Pryce will step up into the halves for Russell. We kind of didn’t expect [Tui to return] this week. Last week he was running with us and he was fine. It was about getting through a week and him having no pain. He’s looked outstanding.

“He was doing some side-stepping stuff in the gym on Monday I think it was and I think most of us players, myself and Robbo [Luke Robinson] were watching him and thinking we could never do that when we were fully fit playing!

“It’s a big boost for us.

“I’d say another big boost is Leroy coming back in now. Last week Josh Jones did an outstanding job in the centres for us, but obviously it’s good to get Leroy back in and push Jones back into the second-row.”

Cudjoe is in line to make his 300th Super League appearance.

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