Leeds Rhinos coach Brad Arthur tips teenager for Super League breakthrough as Zak Lloyd progress praised
Coach Brad Arthur has identified the next teenager who could make his Leeds Rhinos debut.
Academy products stand-off George Brown, full-back Fergus McCormack and second-rower Zak Lloyd have all broken into the first team this season and Arthur believes Oscar Brown can follow in their footsteps. The 19-year-old centre was spotted by Rhinos’ scouts playing rugby union for Harrogate.
He joined Leeds’ academy two years ago after a spell on trial and penned a new contract, until the end of 2029, earlier this term. With Maika Sivo, Jack Bird and Alfie Edgell all on the casualty list, Brown has a chance of coming into contention for Sunday’s game at York Knights. Arthur, though, admitted that may be too soon, after just 30 minutes’ rugby for the reserves since returning from a long-term hamstring injury and stressed Brown needs to bide his time.
“We want him to realise there’s a pathway here for him,” Arthur said. “He has just got to be patient. I know the kids don’t like that word too much, but young Zak Lloyd has been patient and got his opportunity.
“The last thing we want to do is be putting our kids in pressure situations when they are physically not ready for it. When I say physically not ready, with Oscar he has just not got the run in his legs.
“If he had been playing all year he’d definitely be up to it physically in terms of his strength and when he’s on top of his conditioning. But right now, he just doesn’t have the match fitness. Hence, we didn’t want to push him through more than 30 minutes in reserve grade.”
Brown has been a prolific try scorer in the under-18s and reserves and is highly-rated by Leeds’ management. Arthur predicted: “A big pre-season for him and I think he can push for an opportunity at some stage next season. I don’t know when that’ll be.
“It’s the same as Lloydy, he has pushed and pushed and got an opportunity late in the year. It’s a good example - when you get injuries and they get opportunities, they have to be ready to take them.
“Lloydy has done a good job in his two performances. I was unable to get him on against Wakefield, purely because of the situation and the pressure of the game. We needed our experienced players out there to win that.”
Lloyd, 18, got more time than expected in last week’s defeat by Leigh Leopards because of an injury to centre Jack Bird and Arthur admitted he didn’t look like a youngster in his second senior appearance. “The only way they get experience is by getting out there and doing it,” the coach added. “We can do as much prep work as we like at training, but it’s just not the same as a game.”