Huddersfield Giants director for change Ralph Rimmer has moved to explain the decision to relieve Luke Robinson of his duties.
Robinson had held the permanent head coach role at the Accu Stadium since September 2024, but a woeful start to the Super League season, with Huddersfield losing all five of their opening games and propping up the table, has prompted a change at the helm.
It comes following the Giants’ loss to Bradford Bulls on Friday night, with the club surrendering a lead to lose 26-14 at Odsal.
Director of rugby Andy Kelly will take charge of the first-team as the search commences for a new man to take charge and Huddersfield have released a video of Rimmer explaining the decision and how the Giants will move forward.
“As you know we have been resetting the club and we set about that just after Christmas. I was installed as director for change and we’ve done a huge amount of change behind the scenes, absolutely driving the club forward in all its activities,” Rimmer said.
“Critically, we need some on-field success as well. We’ve launched ‘Giants Unleashed’ and that really has to mean something on and off the field.
“Fantastic man, Luke Robinson, someone who has dedicated himself to this club for a long time and he is a legend of this club and will remain so, but nevertheless, the set of circumstances have brought about this change.
“We’re in good hands, we’ve got our director rugby Andy Kelly, who everybody knows, he’s a great leader, he knows the sport and the club inside out. He will be control of all footballing matters during this interim period. Clearly in support of him we have the backroom staff here that are a very talented set of individuals. I’m comfortable with that but we now need to move forward.”
Asked what the club are looking for in a new head coach, Rimmer said: “Somebody who gets excited by the club, that’s a starting point. We’ve done a lot in the last few months, we have a vision and a mission and we have values.
“We know what we’re about and we need someone who is going to help us with the work we’re doing on the culture of the club, someone who wants to be a part of that journey and takes us through to 2030, by 2030 we will be in a new stadium, we will have world class facilities.
“We have a training facility that should be ready in the next couple of months and that will be a big part of our building towards the future. So, somebody who wants to buy into that and somebody who wants to be here and help us build that success because we are very determined to bring success to this club.
“The stadium will be huge investment and we are working tirelessly behind the scenes. Everybody knows how much Ken has put into this club and everybody knows how much the badge means for Ken, it’s heart and soul and it needs to mean that for everybody attached to the club. This club is going places and we’re driving really hard.”
Nobody said it was ever going to be a straight path and if it was everybody would be doing it. This is a journey and we are building blocks along the way. There will definitely be setbacks along the way but we are gearing up for genuine success here.
“It isn’t just one single answer that brings that, there’s lots of different pieces of work. What I would say is let’s look at where we’re going to be in three or four years’ time, a successful club in a new stadium with a real fanbase that adds value to the competition, we want to add value.
“There’s commercial sponsors that are excited as well. There is so much to celebrate and we absolutely on the starting line now. The next three or four years are going to be a fantastic journey to be on and ‘Giants Unleashed’ will definitely mean something.”
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