Huddersfield Giants confirm six departures, including off-contract duo
From left to right: Esan Marsters, Kevin Naiqama and Seb Ikahihifo will all leave Huddersfield Giants at the end of the 2024 season
Huddersfield Giants have confirmed six of their 2024 squad will depart at the end of the season, including the off-contract duo of Adam Milner and Kevin Naiqama.
The Giants had already announced the exits of veteran prop Chris Hill, half-back Olly Russell and centre Esan Marsters.
Hill’s next destination remains unclear, but Russell has agreed a deal to join Wakefield Trinity from 2025 while Cook Islands and New Zealand international Marsters will link up with fellow Super League outfit Salford Red Devils.
Elsewhere though, the futures of both Milner and Naiqama remained officially unconfirmed until Monday night’s announcement, with the pair still off-contract.
It’s now been confirmed though that they will leave the John Smith’s Stadium following the club’s final game of the campaign at home against Castleford Tigers on Thursday night.
Huddersfield’s press release sees the West Yorkshire outfit wish hooker Milner well ‘in the Betfred Championship’, so it looks like he’ll drop into the second tier in 2025, though no move has been confirmed as yet.
Naiqama meanwhile hasn’t had any transfer confirmed just yet either. The 35-year-old was linked with a return to St Helens a few months back, but with the signings his former employers have made since then, it doesn’t look like that move will materialise.
Long-serving forward Sebastine Ikahihifo, who joined the Giants midway through the 2016 season, rounds off the list of Giants departees and won’t be at Luke Robinson’s disposal in 2025.
He was contracted until the end of next season, but as LoveRugbyLeague first reported back in July, the prop is attracting interest from the Championship, and it is likely that he will drop into the second tier come 2025.
The club’s press release states: “All players leave the club with the very best wishes of everyone connected to Huddersfield Giants, and we wish them the very best in their future careers.”
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