GATESHEAD Thunder centre Jamie Love has earned a dream move to Super League quarter-finalists Huddersfield Giants.

The 18-year-old came through the Durham Tigers club before turning out for Thunder in Co-operative Championship One this year.

And it is a former Gateshead coach, Richard Pell, who has been instrumental in bringing about a swoop for the England Academy international in his role with the Giants.

Love (pictured right) will study a sports science degree at Leeds Carnegie University, combining his academic studies with a part-time playing contract at the Galpharm Stadium.

He said: “It is a fantastic opportunity. To sign with a top Super League club is a great feeling, and I can’t wait to get properly started.

“I have met all the club’s younger players and they are a really good bunch, so I am looking forward to playing and training alongside them. Hopefully I can work hard here and possibly earn myself a full-time contract after I have finished my degree.”

Gateshead Thunder’s Director of Community Programmes, Chris Hood, said: “Jamie is a great lad with a desire to perform and improve himself.”

“Richard Pell is doing some work with the Giants, and he spoke to me asking about Jamie and his availability to sign with the them.”

Meanwhile, Thunder head coach Kevin Neighbour has continued to shape his squad for next season with the signing of York City Knights prop Brett Waller.

The 24-year-old joins fellow York men Scott Woods and Dan Mole in heading to the International Stadium alongside Australian Ryan McBride, ex-Newcastle Knights junior Josh Neilson and Northumbria University’s Josh Taylor.