Holding onto veterans within your side is crucial and the Huddersfield Giants have done just that, re-signing utility Luke Robinson on a new long-term deal.
The deal will see Robinson stay at the Giants until 2017 and with 201 games for the club and 10 seasons with them once his deal is up, Robinson said it was an easy decision.
“It’s dead easy really,” said Robinson.
“I want to win something here and I know we can do it. We’ve been really close but not made the last step but overall since I came we’ve gone forwards massively.
I am very happy here and to do ten years will be a proud achievement and one I’m grateful that I’ve a chance at.
As a veteran, Robinson is well aware that things can change and that a rotation policy will happen. So, he knows that what the coach decides is what goes and he just committed and keen to start playing again.
I don’t want to look back at my time here and say I was involved in building towards trophies – I want to be able to say I won trophies and I want more than the 2013 League Leaders Shield,” said Robinson.
“At the moment I am training at nine and seven and I’ll just do whatever Baloo (Paul Anderson) thinks is best for the team and give it my best shot. We definitely have the squad and the new facilities we are now based have given everyone a real lift as have the new faces in the squad.â€
Robinson has played a crucial role at the club over the years, with Giants Managing Director Richard Thewlis acknowledging the success of the utility.
“Luke was a marquee signing for us along with David Hodgson back in 2007 as we started back then to really invest in the squad with top class young English lads on the back of the Cup Final appearance,” said Thewlis.
“He has given tremendous commitment and brought class to the Club on and off the field with each of his three Head Coaches praising his toughness and having taken us to our second cup final and into the play offs in every year bar one as well as representing England, he has for me, cemented his place as one of Huddersfield modern day greats.”
The commitment that Robinson has shown to the club is something that pleases Thewlis.
“One of our goals here is to make memories and enable this group to stand alongside some of our tremendous teams of the past with silverware and I know that Luke Robinson deserves that accolade having seen day in day out his commitment to our Club,” said Robinson.
As a veteran, Robinson is now a leader within the side and for Giants coach Paul Anderson, his leadership will be needed.
“Luke Robinson is one of our leaders in our playing group which is epitomised by the way he trains and plays with total commitment,” said Anderson.
“For him to do such a period with one club shows how his coaches, players and supporters over the years have valued him and it’s great that the club and he have put pen to paper and secured him for the foreseeable future.
He deserves his extension and he’s one guy you’d stand alongside in the trenches when the going gets tough which in the reality of top flight rugby happens and it’ll be good here to count on Robbo.â€