Whatuira earns a fresh chance

(GETTY IMAGES)

The former Huddersfield centre Paul Whatuira is set to revive his career after a dreadful year which saw him committed to a secure psychiatric unit.

The New Zealand international was detained after attacking two men when he suffered a breakdown. He was released by the Giants, but back in Australia he has been offered another chance in the game. The Parramatta coach, Steve Kearney, a former Kiwi team-mate, has offered him a one -year contract and Whatuira believes he can justify it.

The absence of his name, and that of his compatriot Jamahl Lolesi, from Huddersfield's squad list for 2011 means that the Giants have two overseas vacancies. But despite a series of approaches from NRL players, their coach, Nathan Brown, is in no hurry to fill those gaps. "We're happy with the squad we've got," Brown said.

Lolesi, also a centre, has been ruled out indefinitely following surgery on his back and has not been allocated a squad number.

The former England full-back Shaun Briscoe has been dropped from the leadership group of senior players at Hull KR, who fulfil the captaincy role for the club. Briscoe started last season as England's first-choice full-back and says that he wants to concentrate on recovering that sort of form. "I want to get back my consistency and reliability," he said.