Huddersfield Giants have said that several of their injured players are progressing well ahead of the new Super League season.

The squad has been significantly depleted by injuries, while others are missing after playing in the Autumn International Series against Wales and France.

Head coach Paul Anderson told the club's website: "Josh Johnson is back this week and Aaron Murphy has started integrating in some low level key skills joining up fully shortly.

"Jacob Fairbank is ahead of schedule so it may be mid-December when he is back in the squad and Luke O'Donnell will start his contact work shortly after Christmas with Eorl Crabtree is similar.

"Jerry [Jermaine McGillvary] will start running by the first week of December and Jason Chan is now back training with us. Leroy Cudjoe is set to be back on December 3rd and Shaun Lunt and Michael Lawrence are on target to return to training next week."

The Giants will open their 2013 Super League campaign at St Helens on February 2.