Huddersfield Giants have continued their recruitment drive by signing former NRL prop Chris Patolo, with the 24-year-old set to make the switch to England after a challenging stint with the Manly Sea Eagles.
The Sydney-born forward, who also featured for the Canterbury Bulldogs earlier in his career, has struggled for consistent first-grade minutes in the NRL.
Now, after 27 appearances across both clubs, Patolo is ready to embrace a new challenge and a new competition as he links up with his Huddersfield teammates for pre-season next month.
“The challenge excites me,” says Patolo
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join Huddersfield and really excited to make the move over to the Super League,” Patolo said. “The challenge excites me, and I’m ready to connect with the community and play in front of the Huddersfield fans. I can’t wait to meet the boys and rip into pre-season — it’s a new environment for me and one I’m keen to get stuck into.”
Huddersfield head coach Luke Robinson said he was thrilled to add the versatile forward to his squad, praising his athleticism and potential. “We’re unbelievably excited to get Chris on board.
At 24, he’s still got loads of development left in him,” Robinson said. “He’s learnt a lot in his early years within the NRL, and he can get us on the front foot and win the ruck for us.”
Patolo becomes the latest Australian forward to join the Giants’ rebuild, with Robinson confident the young prop’s power and mobility will make an immediate impact in the middle of the park.