Photo Credit: Gerard Barrau, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

By KLTV Newsdesk – 

Giants great honours hometown roots with fundraiser for local rugby clubs

Local sporting hero Jermaine McGillvary is set to take his place among rugby league’s elite this autumn – and he’s using the occasion to give back to the community that shaped his career.

The Huddersfield Giants icon, who also starred for England and Great Britain, will be inducted into the Huddersfield Rugby League Players Association Hall of Fame at a special gala dinner this October.

In a gesture true to his values, all profits from the event will be donated to Huddersfield’s amateur rugby clubs.

From Bradley to the big stage

McGillvary’s rise to stardom was far from straightforward. Growing up in Bradley, he first played junior rugby for Deighton before switching codes to football, where he spent six years playing semi-professionally for Emley.

His return to rugby league came by chance after a late-night encounter with his close friend and fellow Giants legend, Leroy Cudjoe.

“I was working nights in the warehouse at B&Q when I bumped into Leroy,” Jermaine recalls. “He persuaded me to go train with the Academy players.”

His debut for the U21s was anything but easy, just a brief 10-minute appearance in a heavy defeat to Leeds Rhinos.

“I was ready to quit, but my mum told me to stick with it. As they say, the rest is history.”

A glittering career

That persistence paid off. McGillvary became a cornerstone of the Huddersfield Giants, scoring 196 tries in 312 Super League appearances, making him the sixth-highest try-scorer in competition history.

On the international stage, he shone just as brightly. His career highlight came in 2017, when he was named in the Team of the Tournament at the Rugby League World Cup, after helping England reach the final against Australia.

Huddersfield Players Association president Michael Lawrence praised McGillvary’s achievements, saying: “Jermaine is probably the most decorated Huddersfield player in the modern era and, at one point, was hailed as the world’s best winger.

“He was a wonderful professional and a great guy. I’ve never met a player who has had a bad word to say about him.”

Celebrate with a Giants great

The induction evening will be held at the Accu Stadium on Friday, 3 October, starting at 6:00 p.m. Highlights include:

• An in-depth interview with Jermaine, hosted by sports broadcaster Pete Emmett.

• A guest address from former England captain and rugby league legend Jamie Peacock.

• A professional photo opportunity with Jermaine for all attendees.

Tickets are priced at £49 and available now. To secure a place at this celebration of a Huddersfield legend – and support grassroots rugby – visit TicketTailor