After part one and part two of this series looked at two rising stars from Castleford Tigers and Catalans Dragons, part three sees a Huddersfield Giant under the spotlight. Huddersfield's academy setup has produced several Super League stars over the past decade with the likes of Jermaine McGillvary, Leroy Cudjoe, Michael Lawrence, Eorl Crabtree and, more recently, Kruise Leeming, all progressing into the Giants' first team where they have been or, in regards to Crabtree had been, playing consistently at a high level.
The next potential star to christen the Giants' first-choice 17 could well be this young fullback or winger.
Full of pace, agility and dexterity, he has all the attributes to go a long way in the game.
Darnell McIntosh
The now 20-year-old Darnell McIntosh attended the local Shelley High School and is a product of the Huddersfield club, the Newsome Panthers. After progressing through the club's scholarship programme, McIntosh is now in his sixth year with the club and is also a graduate of the Giants' BTEC Level 3 Extended Sport and Exercise Science and Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) courses.
Before 2017, the name Darnell McIntosh was barely known outside of the Huddersfield academy. Yet, having spent several years in and around the first-team setup at the Giants, the outside back stormed onto the scene in the 2017 season.
McIntosh got his chance in Round Three of Super League XXII, appearing on the wing against Hull FC. From this debut game, McIntosh went from strength to strength and his character and confidence grew with every passing game. After cementing a wing spot, the youngster went on to make 23 appearances in a Huddersfield shirt, crossing the whitewash for 13 tries.
One of his 13 tries was a spectacular effort against Salford Red Devils in July which was named the Giants' Try of the Season at the Club's Awards Evening.
Vote for this spectacular Darnell McIntosh try to be the @trojanworkwear Try of the Month #trojantry. Vote here https://t.co/dTx9hHk8nc pic.twitter.com/BkYGC07LlR
— Huddersfield Giants (@Giantsrl) August 3, 2017
Though operating mainly on the wing for the Giants in the 2017 season, McIntosh also showed some nice touches when he was required to play at fullback in the absence of Australian Jake Mamo.
His performances throughout the season earned him plaudits from a number of pundits and supporters, so much so that McIntosh was named as one of the nominations for the Albert Goldthorpe Rookie of the Year Award, although he eventually missed out to Wigan winger Liam Marshall.
With McIntosh settled at the Giants after signing a three-year deal in December 2016 and with a maturity, attitude and talent that belies his youthful age, 2018 could well be the year that McIntosh well and truly announces himself on the Super League stage.
