Ashton Golding ready to make Huddersfield Giants debut - against old club Leeds Rhinos

Rhinos signed hooker Kruise Leeming from Huddersfield last November, just weeks after full-back Ashton Golding moved the other way in a separate deal.

Both players picked up an injury in pre-season and have yet to play a competitive game for their new team, but the Covid-19 layoff has given them time to recover and they are each now back in full training and targeting the match on August 2 for their comeback.

Golding, a lifelong Rhinos fan and product of the Headingley club’s academy, scored 14 tries and 14 goals in 63 games for Leeds from 2014-2019.

He was released from his contract to join Giants after just one appearance last year, but suffered a hamstring injury in a practice game at Wakefield Trinity the week before the season began.

It was a shattering blow at a time when he was looking to prove himself to new teammates, but six months on Golding is now ready to put that disappointment behind him.

The Jamaican international is confident he will be “good to go”, for the West Yorkshire derby in 18 days’ time and insisted the opposition isn’t as important as simply being back on the field.

“I haven’t really thought too much about the fact it is Leeds, I just want to make my debut now,” Golding stressed.

“The club has put a lot of faith into me and I have respected that from the off.

“I want to show their faith is not misplaced.

“I just want to get my debut out of the way and build some consistency for this season.

“A lot of people have said ‘write 2020 off’, but for me it is one of the biggest season I will take part in.

“I need to make sure physically I am ready and mentally I am ready.”

Giants began training on Saturday, two days before Rhinos and Golding reckons the signs are good.

He noted: “It has been a long time and for me personally, even longer.

“The general feeling from the boys is just excitement, it is good to be around everyone again and to get that camaraderie back.

“The boys are flying, we have all been working hard away from training because we knew the day was going to come that we’d actually get back on the horse.”

Meanwhile, Golding, who still coaches at his amateur club Stanningley, is preparing to open a new business, Haus of Coffee, in Station Road, Horsforth, on Monday.

The layoff gave him time to get things ready, but he admitted the last few days - combining his two pursuits - have been “really stressful” .

He said: “At the moment I am getting to training, doing my work, coming to the shop, working there; go home for 9pm and repeat the process the next day. But it will be worth it - it is something I am really passionate about.”

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