Leeds Rhinos' Cooper Jenkins talks tough pre-season, being 'way better' in 2026 & high hopes for new signing
Aussie prop Cooper Jenkins has revealed how he “surprised myself” in his first season at Leeds Rhinos and why he’s a “way better player” now than 12 months ago.
Despite being regarded as a ‘project’ signing, Jenkins, 24, was a mainstay of the team last year, playing in all but six of their 30 competitive matches following his move from Queensland Cup champions North Devils. Only five of his appearances were off the bench and his impressive form led to a new contract, keeping him at Leeds until the end of 2028. Jenkins admitted: “I did surprise myself.”
He said: “I came over not really knowing if I’d get picked and I ended up starting a lot of the games. It was good they put a bit of faith in me. It was hard throughout the year, it was a big step up physically, but coming in this year I think I am a way better player, for myself and the team.”
Jenkins stressed: “Coming in last year I was trying to prove myself and get myself up to the standard of playing Super League as well, never having played in the top-flight before. Coming in this year, I knew where I needed to be and what the coaching team needs from me.
“It means I have been able to focus on other parts of my game, which has been good. I feel like I am in a way better position. I am keen to get in and play consistent throughout the year.”
New signing Jeremiah Mata’utia is in a similar situation now to Jenkins a year ago, having never played at the top level. He was part of North Queensland Cowboys’ senior squad, but his game time in 2025 came with their Queensland Cup feeder club Mackay Cutters.
“He is a great addition for us,” Jenkins said. “He is young, he’s only 21 and he has had a year or two of full-time training experience back home. He has had a good pre-season and he’s a big fella, with good leg speed.
“I think he will be hard to handle and a good addition off the bench for us. He has just got to prove his spot in the next couple of trial matches and he’ll be big for us this year and it’ll be good development for him as well.”
Mata’utia is one of only three new signings in Rhinos’ senior squad for 2026, along with hooker Danny Levi and second-row Ethan O’Neill. Jenkins feels that stability has made for a better pre-season.
He said: “It has been tough; it is always tough, but I feel like this year we’ve come in with the same coaching staff and a lot of the same players and we know what we want out of it. It has been a lot more directed, what we are doing; a lot more footy-focused stuff, a lot more opposed and I feel like it has sent us the right way.”
Jenkins led the pack in Rhinos’ opening warm up game, when they beat Wakefield Trinity 18-10 on Boxing Day, which he felt was “a good hit-out”. He added: I thought we went pretty good with a few young boys in there. Our one-eight weren’t playing and we had a lot of young boys filling in. It was a good opportunity for them to show what they can do because we’ll need a lot of them stepping up throughout the year, with injuries and that. We were a bit rusty here and there, but I thought I went good. I felt fit after a big pre-season and physically I felt good.”
The Christmas game also gave Rhinos a taste of how referees will attempt to police a cleaner, faster ruck this year. That’s something Jenkins is looking forward to. “We have got a great forward pack and with the outside-backs we’ve got, the quicker ruck will definitely suit us,” he predicted. “That’ll be good to see, I feel like sometimes it slows you down a bit too much. It will make it a bit more exciting for people to watch.”