Historic West Yorkshire grassroots club Shawcross Sharks have issued a public appeal to Huddersfield Giants to forge a local partnership, urging the Super League side to connect with the community following their temporary move down the road.

With the Giants temporarily setting up camp at nearby Flair stadium while redevelopment take place, Shawcross officials see a huge, time-sensitive opportunity to build ties between the elite Super League game and one of amateur rugby league’s most famous nurseries.

Speaking on the proximity of a top-flight outfit being just “90 seconds down the road,” Shawcross representative Martin expressed hope that both organizations can collaborate, particularly with a major international grassroots exchange on the horizon.

“We do really want to reach out and get a good connection,” the Shawcross spokesperson shared. “We’ve got the French coming over at Easter. We do a French exchange at Shawcross and that’s been going since 1972. It’s usually 40 lads, six coaches, representing a regional team called Giet 13.

“They come over and we’re hoping to link with Huddersfield and get them to play there and watch a Huddersfield Super League game hopefully. So yeah, get in touch Huddersfield, please!”

A “win-win” opportunity to strengthen Super League and amateur ties

The arrival of Huddersfield’s training setup and diggers immediately following the end of the season caught the eye of local community figures, who are keen to capitalize on the Giants’ presence before any future stadium moves materialize.

While pitch availability and overlapping Sunday fixture schedules present ongoing operational hurdles for junior teams,Shawcross believes joint initiatives, curtain-raisers, and ticket opportunities could offer a massive boost for both clubs.

“It’s an opportunity, isn’t it? To have a Super League side 90 seconds down the road,” the spokesperson added. “If we can win off the back of that anywhere, we’ll obviously welcome them in and help where we can, really.

“If they can help us and we can help them create a partnership, great. It’s a win-win, really. No one effectively loses out of this. The landscape has changed with Huddersfield moving here… if we can strike while they’re there for a season or two or whatever they’re doing, that’d be fantastic.”

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