Relegated Giants may be missing duo for first game

Huddersfield's second rower, Heath Cruckshank, will not find out until Friday whether he can start the Northern Ford Premiership season with the Giants or be forced out of the game. The Australian has been refused a work permit as he did not play three-quarters of the games for which he was available with St Helens last season.

The Huddersfield chief executive, Ralph Rimmer, says that the player is being penalised for bettering himself. "If he had stayed with his previous club, Sheffield Eagles, or even if the games he played for them were counted, he would meet the criteria,'' he said. "As it is, he falls just one game short.''

Huddersfield have their local MP, Barry Shearman, and David Hinchliffe, of the Parliamentary Rugby League Group, appealing to the Home Office on Cruckshank's behalf.

Cruckshank was a member of the Saints squad that won the World Club Championship and Challenge Cup last season and made 15 Super League appearances.

"I seem to be penalised for playing at a higher standard,'' said the 24-year-old. "I hope the MPs can come up with the goods, because I've really enjoyed training with Huddersfield and I think we're going to have a pretty good season.''

If he is turned down, Cruckshank says he will take a labouring job and play rugby union as an amateur.

In another setback, Huddersfield, relegated from Super League last season, will be without their Papua New Guinea international, Stanley Gene for the first five matches of the season, starting at Doncaster on Sunday. Gene, signed from Hull midway through last season, leaves the previous day on a pre-arranged holiday in his homeland.

"It was still my intention to play in the Super League when I booked it,'' said Gene. "My son is four and he has never seen his grandfather.

"The club has been very good about it. They knew that the flights were booked when they re-signed me and I haven't been able to change them."