07 July 2023 , 16:00
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Jermaine McGillvary knows his outstanding Huddersfield career is coming to a close - but you won’t find him sulking.
The ex-England winger is out of contract at the end of the season and been told there’s no deal on the table. He has scored more than 200 tries and made over 300 appearances for his hometown club. McGillvary will look to add to that on Saturday evening when struggling Giants take on Super League leaders Catalans.
As for the future, the 35-year-old insists he is not worried - and believes he still has plenty to give even if it’s away from his beloved Huddersfield. The prolific wideman, who debuted for Giants in 2010 but has managed just seven games this term due to knee, hamstring and bicep injuries, said: "I’ve been told there’s nothing here for me next year because I’ve not played enough.
“Unless I do play more, I’m not sure if I will be here. But I’ve not made a decision yet (on future).”
Asked if he was disappointed to not be offered a new deal, McGillvary replied: “I don’t think it's definite. But it’s understandable as well. Rugby is a business. It’s hard: if I’m not on the field I can’t be rewarded. It’s not a charity. I get it. Obviously I’ve been here all my career so it will be tough to leave if I have to.”
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McGillvary, who played for England in the 2017 World Cup final and represented Great Britain two years later, retired from international rugby league last June to help extend his club career. But he explained: “The knee injury I then got last July was a bad one. That set me back. It is the worst injury I’ve ever had. It took me a good six or seven months to get over and I missed pre-season which doesn’t help with your fitness and sharpness.
Huddersfield Giants' Jermaine McGillvary (PA)“I’d come in and start to get some rhythm and then I tore my bicep so it’s all happened within the last 12 months. I feel like I would (do a job again in 2024). Obviously, it might not be here. But we’ll see. I’ll try my best to make it here but it will be tough to stay.”
It’s hard to imagine McGillvary, one of Super League’s greatest wingers, wouldn’t get another deal in the top-flight. But he insisted: “I’m not sure. I’ll leave that to my agent. I’ve not spoken to anyone. I’m pretty relaxed. I need to get back playing and get some form. And I’ve already set myself up for when I finish playing anyway with some properties and savings so I’m pretty relaxed in that sense. But I do want to play probably one more last year and then call it a day on my own terms.”
McGillvary admits he may retire at the end of this season. He explained: “It’d be tough for me to do part-time, with the kids and having to travel. It’d only be full-time I’d be looking at (for 2024) and if I can’t I’d probably have to call it a day.”
Shortlisted for the Golden Boot as the world’s greatest player in 2017, he has endured the rarity of being dropped by Ian Watson this term, the head coach who is under pressure with just one win in nine games. McGillvary offered: “Watto left me out against Hull KR. I was training to play against Salford in the Challenge Cup. That was going to be my game back but that’s when I did my bicep in the session leading up to that game.
“I missed a few games. I was touch and go for Warrington away, came back for Leeds but I was dropped for the KR game. It’s happened a few times. Nathan Brown dropped me and Baloo (Paul Anderson) did but I’d not been dropped for a long while. I was gutted. But I like to train hard and prove myself. I don’t sulk.
"Sport is unforgiving: when you’re on form everyone loves you and when you’re not it’s different. But I don’t sulk. I go try and prove myself, to my coach but mainly to my team-mates more than anything. If I feel I’ve let them down I want to train hard to show them I still have the ability to help.”
McGillvary, who helped Giants win the 2013 League Leaders’ Shield and played in last year’s Challenge Cup final loss to Wigan, conceded: “It has been frustrating with little niggling injuries. But it’s good to be out there again. It’s not good to be losing but I’m grateful for every game I get because I’ve probably not got long left now. It’s good to be out there with the boys and hopefully we can get a win Saturday.”
Having claimed 12 tries in his 17 England appearances, plus 22 for Batley, eight more for Barrow in loan spells earlier in his career and even one for the Combined Nations All Stars against England, McGillvary is now just three scores short of 250 career tries. One of the most popular players in the sport, it would be fitting if he could reach that milestone. But all he’s fussed about is getting Huddersfield back to winning ways.
After the 54-0 debacle at Leeds, they showed signs of improvement when losing 22-6 at Wigan last Friday. McGillvary, set for a third straight appearance, said: “It was a bit better but not good enough. We didn’t get the win. Everything’s been good at training but when we go out there we need to be better. Individual performances haven’t been great. And it’s hampering the team as well. We’re confident as a group. We do work hard in training. It’s just putting the training stuff into games now.
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“The past few weeks a few players have been off. And it’s hard. Especially in today’s game: anyone can beat anyone in this league so you have to turn up in every match and we clearly haven’t, especially these last five or six weeks. We’re looking to put that right in Catalans. We need to be on the same page at the time and us players need to do the job now.”