3 return as Leeds Rhinos and Wakefield Trinity name 21-man squads for sold-out Super League derby
Two senior players are back in Leeds Rhinos’ 21 for the crucial derby at Wakefield Trinity on Friday.
Winger Ryan Hall and captain/centre Ash Handley were today (Wednesday) both named in Rhinos’ preliminary squad, replacing centre Ned McCormack and prop Jeremiah Mata’utia. Hall has missed four games since sustaining a foot injury during Leeds’ Magic Weekend win against Bradford Bulls exactly a month ago.
Handley underwent an appendectomy last month after suffering appendicitis and has sat out Rhinos’ last three matches. McCormack is ruled out of Friday following a failed head injury assessment during last week’s defeat of Toulouse Olympique. Mata’utia was an unused squad member for that fixture.
Leeds remain without winger Maika Sivo (broken arm), hooker Danny Levi (neck) and prop Keenan Palasia (foot) from their top-20 squad, along with centre Max Simpson (knee), stand-off George Brown (knee) and second-row Ben Littlewood (hamstring).
The only change to Trinity’s 21 sees winger Lachlan Walmsley recalled after being rested against Catalans Dragons last week. He replaces Jordan Williams who didn’t feature in France. Trinity have confirmed Friday’s second versus first Betfred Super League clash is now sold out.
Rhinos’ 21 is: Lachie Miller, Harry Newman, Ash Handley, Ryan Hall, Brodie Croft, Jake Connor, Mikolaj Oledzki, Jarrod O’Connor, Tom Holroyd, Kallum Watkins, James McDonnell, Chris Hankinson, Cooper Jenkins, Cameron Smith, Presley Cassell, Alfie Edgell, Riley Lumb, Tom Nicholson-Watton, Fergie McCormack, Zak Lloyd, Jack Bird.
Trinity’s initial squad is: Max Jowitt, Cameron Scott, Corey Hall, Tom Johnstone, Jake Trueman, Mike McMeeken, Tyson Smoothy, Ky Rodwell, Matty Storton, Jazz Tevaga, Jay Pitts, Caleb Hamlin-Uele, Caius Faatili, Harvey Smith, Isaiah Vagana, Lachlan Walmsley, Jack Sinfield, Jayden Myers, Josh Rourke, Tray Lolesio, Will Tate.