Sharp hopes new role can inspire Giants

Jon Sharp hopes to celebrate his appointment as the Great Britain assistant coach by breaking the worst losing sequence in Super League today. After their flying start to the season, Huddersfield have won just once in their past 10 and lost their past seven games.

Jon Sharp hopes to celebrate his appointment as the Great Britain assistant coach by breaking the worst losing sequence in Super League today. After their flying start to the season, Huddersfield have won just once in their past 10 and lost their past seven games.

Today the Giants face second-placed Hull, who have been stung by two defeats in a row. "The priority is Hull, but I'm absolutely ecstatic to be offered a position like this one,'' Sharp said. What he needs today is for Huddersfield to show the sort of form that brought him to the attention of the Great Britain camp earlier this season and the likely return of Paul Reilly and Chris Nero could help.

Hull, still favourites to finish second despite their recent slump, will have both Jason Smith and Paul McNicholas back, even though they both suffered head injuries against Bradford on Monday.

The wrong combination of results tomorrow will relegate Castleford for the first time in the club's history. If they lose to Salford and Widnes win at Wakefield, the struggle will be over for the team that has been bottom all season and they will be out of the Super League, subject to the winners of National League One meeting the promotion criteria.

Castleford are at full strength against a Salford side not completely clear of relegation themselves, while Widnes could give a debut to Sala Fa'alongo. Wakefield are strong favourites to finish in the top six and appear in the play-offs for the first time, but Warrington still have a chance of catching them if they can beat St Helens.

Steele Retchless' industrious seven-year career with the London Broncos could be over. Retchless has already decided to retire at the end of the season, but he misses tomorrow's game at Bradford with a suspected fractured cheekbone, which could rule him out for the rest of the campaign.