How are Wolves’ loan trio getting on at Huddersfield Town?

The aim is to get them minutes on the pitch they were unlikely to get had they stayed at Molineux this season. 

Joe Hodge and Nigel Lonwijk signed for the Terriers on a season-long loan in the summer, whereas Tawanda Chirewa spent the first half of the season at Championship club Derby, before moving to Huddersfield at the end of the winter window. 

The West Yorkshire side currently have a play-off place but they have been in mixed form of late with manager Michael Duff recently being relieved of his duties after four defeats in five. 

The Express & Star spoke to Steven Chicken, Huddersfield reporter working for We Are Terriers, about how the youngsters are getting on. 

Nigel Lonwijk

The 22-year-old has made 26 appearances this season for Huddersfield and scored one goal - that was in the recent 2-1 win at Stevenage. 

Unfortunately, he has picked up a season-ending hamstring injury. 

“He has been a pretty constant presence in the side,” Chicken said. “Sadly, he is out for the season now.

“He is a really good centre-back for this level. He is a leading League One centre-back which is not a surprise considering this is not his first spell in the third tier. 

“By his own admission, he is a very laid-back guy, and he is quite laid-back on the pitch at times, which they have tried to get out of him. I would say quite successfully. 

“Early in the season he would have a 10-minute spell in every game where he would seem to sort of lose focus a bit, but that has been less and less as we have seen more of him. 

“For this level, he is unbelievable on the ball for a centre-back. His passing and dribbling is excellent. 

“He is tall and he clearly models himself on Virgil van Dijk. He has got that same sort of calmness, but he is a solid defender.”

Joe Hodge 

The youngster scored on his Terriers debut against at Rotherham but has been in and out of the side during his stint in Yorkshire due to injury. 

He has made 22 appearances so far, and Chicken says he might thrive now there has been a change in boss. 

He said: “This is an interesting one. I know he is the one of the three that Wolves fans have talked up the most because he has played in the Premier League and from what I gather, has done quite well. 

“Due to his injuries and the team’s form, it has been a little bit difficult to get the measure of him as he has always been playing in a team that is out of form. 

“I would say he has been reasonably average on the whole overall, but I am not sure how much of that I would lay at his feet. 

“He works hard off the ball, and he has a lot more talent in his feet than most players at this level do. 

“Interestingly, he had his best game for Huddersfield, who sacked Michael Duff recently, under Jon Worthington, he plays a different style. More of a high press and breaking forward with numbers.”

Tawanda Chirewa

The 21-year-old has made seven league starts since making the switch, and he has twice come off the bench. 

He has shown he has undoubted ability, but he is still yet to register a goal or an assist. 

Chicken said: “Michael Duff said in one of his last press conferences, and I totally agree with it, he does not want to be an ‘oooo’ player, by which he means zero goals and assists. 

“He has done loads, and he looks a threat, but he is yet to score or create. It feels like it is coming. 

“His best game was against Wrexham, and he played as a number 10 in that game, he caused them a lot of problems but could not turn it into a goal.”