Huddersfield have rejected a proposed swap deal with Sydney Roosters for Australian forward Luke O'Donnell.
The 32-year-old former Kangaroos back rower still has a year left on his contract with the Giants but Roosters recruitment manager Peter O'Sullivan confirmed to the Australian media that his club were interested in acquiring his services.However, the Sydney club, now coached by former Catalan Dragons boss Trent Robinson, have already reached their salary cap following the capture of internationals Michael Jennings and Sonny Bill Williams and needed to offload players in order to bring in O'Donnell.
Fringe second rower Tom Symonds, 23, was thought to be one of the players offered to Huddersfield in exchange.
Giants managing director Richard Thewlis said: "Given media reports in Sydney, I feel duty bound to comment on a matter that I feel would have been best kept confidential but now seems to be growing into a media frenzy.
"Our head coach Paul Anderson was contacted by the Roosters suggesting a swap deal involving Luke O'Donnell but none of the options presented to us were deemed satisfactory.
"We of course informed Luke personally as these things seem to have ways of leaking out and he is very comfortable with our actions in respect of what occurred.
"He remains a Giant and will face London Broncos on Sunday at the John Smith's Stadium which is where all of our energies are focused and not in expanding upon potentially destabilising player movement rumours.
"It is particularly disappointing that the reporting has taken the focus away from what was a magnificent opening for our club by winning at St Helens for the first time in 35 years and in a manner that was so eye-catching."
O'Donnell has made just 23 appearances in two years because of injury and underwent a shoulder reconstruction at the end of last season but he made an impressive return in Huddersfield's 40-4 win at St Helens last Saturday.
Meanwhile, Huddersfield's latest signing Akuma Ta'ai has finally arrived from New Zealand.
The 25-year-old Kiwi international, who has signed a three-year contract with the Giants, missed the start of the new season after being stranded in Auckland by red tape.
However, Ta'ai was granted his visa a week ago and will meet his new team-mates for the first time on Wednesday. He is unlikely to be considered for Sunday's home game against London Broncos.
Huddersfield were today set to welcome new signing Akuma Ta'ai to the club but could be about to lose Australian forward Luke O'Donnell.
The 25-year-old New Zealand international, who has signed a three-year contract with the Giants, missed the start of the new Super League season after being stranded in his homeland by red tape.
However, he was granted his visa a week ago and is due to arrive at the John Smith's Stadium on Tuesday.
Ta'ai is unlikely to be considered for Sunday's home game against London Broncos but could be a handy replacement for O'Donnell, who looks set to cut short his stay in Super League.
The 32-year-old former Australia international back-row forward still has a year remaining on his contract but is wanted by Sydney Roosters in time for the start of the new NRL season next month.
Huddersfield had no comment but Roosters recruitment manager Peter O'Sullivan said: "We're interested if a lot of things could happen."
O'Donnell has made just 23 appearances in two years because of injury and underwent a shoulder reconstruction at the end of last season but he made an impressive return in Huddersfield's opening 40-4 win at St Helens last Saturday.
New St Helens coach Nathan Brown called on his players to "hold their nerve" after crashing to a shock 40-4 home defeat by his old club Huddersfield in their opening Super League fixture.
The Giants piled on the misery for their former coach as they scored seven tries to one in pulling off their first away win over St Helens since 1978.
Huddersfield's new prop forward recruits Stuart Fielden and Craig Kopczak laid the early platform for captain Danny Brough to dictate play, while England centre Leroy Cudjoe led the scoring with a brace of tries.
Brown, who ended his four-year stay at the Yorkshire club last July, paid tribute to the Giants' forward domination but insisted all is not lost for his new club.
"From one game to the next in the friendlies we showed some improvement and we trained to a standard where we were reasonably happy," he said.
"But, at the end of the day, the physical part of the game is where it's won and lost and we got physically dominated.
"We knew Huddersfield had recruited really well and they will rattle up some scores.
"They did really well, hats off to them. Broughy got to play in a dinner suit tonight.
"I thought we'd do a bit better than we did but we need to hold our nerve. It's a long year."
St Helens, who gave debuts to former Hull duo Jordan Turner and Willie Manu, trailed 40-0 until Mark Flanagan scored a late consolation try.
Wingers Luke George and Jermaine McGillvary scored Huddersfield's other tries, along with forwards Shaun Lunt, Larne Patrick and Brett Ferres, with Brough kicking five goals until coming off with a back spasm.
Under Brown, Huddersfield won at Wigan in the opening round last year only to fade in the second half and his successor Paul Anderson is determined to ensure his players do not get carried away with the victory.
"It's fair to say we got the bounce of the ball but sometimes you make those things happen," Anderson said.
"There was a good collective through the team but we can't lose sight of where we're at.
"My job is to keep people's feet on the ground. There were parts of the game where we were good and parts of the game where we weren't so good. There is still massive improvement to come.
"We will enjoy ourselves, understand where we're at and, when the time is right, put our focus into round two."