'Gives us more motivation': captain Ash Handley reveals Leeds Rhinos' extra reason for success in 2026
Stalwart centre Ash Handley has spoken about being made Leeds Rhinos captain, his return from off-season surgery and a young player he reckons could make a breakthrough this year.
Handley, who will turn 30 next month, is Rhinos’ longest-serving player, having made his debut in 2014. He shared the captaincy with Cameron Smith last year, but has been made stand-alone skipper this time and insisted he is looking forward to his new honour.
“I was joint-captain with Cam last year and it’s pretty similar role,” Handley said. “Cam was injured for part of the season so it was on my shoulders a bit and I am just looking to carry that on.
“We want to go further as a team this year and hopefully I can help in that way, leadership-wise. I have got Kal [Kalum Watkins] behind me as vice-captain and he’s there if I need him and I am just looking to get going.”
Having played in Rhinos first 25 matches last year, a groin problem forced Handley to miss the last four league rounds. He returned for the agonising play-off loss to St Helens and then underwent surgery in the off-season.
Now back to fitness, he is expected to feature when Rhinos play host to Bradford Bulls in Smith’s testimonial game on Saturday. “Pre-season] has been a bit different for me,” Handley – who signed a new long-term contract last October – admitted.
“I have been with the rehab team and the physios for pretty much all of it. I only started back at Christmas, but I am three or four months post-surgery now and I feel all right. I have been ticking away nicely, trying to get back to full fitness. I am just looking forward to getting some reps on the field and getting back into it.”
Coach Brad Arthur is set to field his strongest-available team against Bulls in Leeds’ final warm-up match. “It is a good squad,” Handley added. “We had a good squad last year as well, but we’ve brought some good players in, in key positions for us. I think Danny [Levi] will be good for us with his service out of nine and Ethan [O’Neill] is a good player, very athletic and he will bring a lot to us on the edge.
“I think another year under Brad’s regime of everyone knowing their role and knowing our game plan and how to play will do wonders for us. We will be more conditioned to how he wants us to play again, so it’s looking good.”
Unless Rhinos can avoid more than a handful of injuries, some young players are likely to get a first crack at top-flight rugby this year. “We’ve got quite a lot of them training with us full-time and that will only benefit them in the long-run, doing a full pre-season,” Handley said of Rhinos’ rookies. “A few of them were with us last year, but they were in and out and just joined in when we needed them.
“Having a full pre-season with us will be good for them. I think George Brown has a good opportunity this year. We’ve not really got a back-up half if one of them goes down. George got some minutes on Boxing Day and played really well and he has looked really good in training. He’s someone you want to keep an eye out for. Hopefully he gets his chance to play and can step up when needed.”
England centre Harry Newman and Dream Team second-row James McDonnell have both announced they will join Perth Bears in the southern hemisphere NRL next year, after their Leeds contracts expire. Handley sees that as motivation, rather than a distraction.
He insisted: “Now players can negotiate [with other clubs] from December, I think that’s going to become quite common going forward. It hasn’t really changed anything for us. Harry has given everything to the club since he was a kid and I know how committed he is to do well this year.
“Macca is all in every single day anyway, he trains the house down and gives his all on matchday. They are both great blokes and if anything, I think it probably gives us more motivation to try and get some silverware for the boys who are leaving this year. We’ll have a lot of reasons and that’ll be a couple of them.”
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