Leeds Rhinos fans hail rookie George Brown, worry over injury scare & predict tough game v Leigh Leopards

The 25-12 win was only Rhinos’ second in the competition since they lifted the trophy at Wembley six years ago. And despite an injury to England prop Mikolaj Oledzki, our panel feel Rhinos are in good shape for Friday’s Betfred Super League opener at Leigh Leopards.

TOM GOLDSWORTHY

It was not the emphatic win most were predicting, but Leeds got the job done against a spirited Widnes and secured their place in the next round of the Challenge Cup. As the first competitive game of the year, I do not think the performance was ever going to set the world alight, especially with a shuffled team and a number of young players within the squad. It was a game where we had to manage the squad correctly - with bigger games coming up - and come out with the win, which we achieved.

Speaking of the young players, it is pleasing to see the next batch of highly-rated youngsters make their mark in the first team. George Brown was the obvious standout, with two tries on his debut. While our fortunes on the pitch have not been great recently, it's still impressive to see our academy produce first team-quality players and hopefully Brown and the other young players will get their chance to shine over the Super League season.

Looking forward to Leigh, this will be a good test against another potential play-off rival to start our campaign. I imagine there will be a bit of rustiness within our team as there always is, but with the amount of injuries Leigh have got, it is a game we should be winning comfortably. Hopefully we will be seeing some of our key players return to the squad and Ethan O'Neill can return to his more comfortable second-row position.

DAVID MUHL

Well, we made hard work off that, but in the end it was a case of job done. All that’s important in the early stages of the cup is to avoid any possible banana skins and we did that and came out of it relevantly injury free. Mik Oledski picked up a rib injury, but my understanding was there was nothing else to be too concerned about.

There were some good points, Brodie Croft had a great game playing for most of the match as the only real half and the youngsters acquitted themselves well and will learn from the experience. Young George Brown, a player I have been championing for a couple of years, had a good game. After an initial mistake, he came good and seemed to be much happier when he was moved from full-back to the halves.

Jordan Abdul lcaused us problems all afternoon. Can you imagine, if he could manage his weight and fitness, what a player he’d be? Credit must be given to Widnes, I thought they would tire, but they kept going till the end and the fact we kicked for goal with a penalty and landed a drop goal showed Leeds took them very seriously and with respect. I’m looking forward now to Super League when hopefully we’ll have a few first-choice players back.

BECKY OXLEY

Our first competitive outing of 2026, against Widnes in the Challenge Cup, was a bit rusty, but that was what I anticipated. The fact Widnes put up a fight was encouraging and we had the chance to give some of our players their debut. Cup matches are always intriguing because the outcome is unpredictable and, for 70 minutes, it could have gone either way.

We displayed some impressive plays and glimpses of what we can look forward to, which is thrilling. The exciting moments are what truly make a difference and I’m confident they will be crucial during the season in those closely contested games.

Playing Leigh in the first round of the season, especially on their home turf, will not be an easy task. I’m eager to see the lineup we put out and whether any of the younger players will get an opportunity. We have a solid squad this year, but are starting off with some injuries following Cam Smith’s testimonial. I hope this doesn’t lead to a weak start and a string of losses. Leigh will not be an easy opponent and we need to establish a strong beginning in the league. I’ll be watching from home and am looking forward to Friday evening. Let’s go Leeds.

IAIN SHARP

So, potential banana skin avoided at Widnes and Leeds are safely into the next round of the Challenge Cup. Much has been written in the rugby league press in recent weeks about the blow out scores in the Cup, but I offer a counterpoint to those arguments.

I bet many of the Lock Lane players - who had 104 points put past them at Hull KR - and even the Widnes players last Saturday went into their matches with their eyes wide open. The games presented a rare opportunity to pitch those semi-pro or amateur players against the very best of the northern hemisphere game, a chance that might present itself only a few times in a career.

Who are we to deny them that chance? In soccer, Manchester City beat Exeter City 10-1 in the FA Cup last month and there were no calls to remove those lesser clubs from the competition due to potential mis-matches. Leeds chose the option to blood many of the next batch of promising young players, so a huge score was never likely, but the future looks bright with those lads coming through. We may see them again this season, with the first league game just around the corner.

KATIE MARCZYNSKI

Saturday’s Challenge Cup win at Widnes was closer than I’m sure most of us would have liked, but we’re into the fourth round and that’s the main thing. It’s easy to feel a little uninspired by our performance, but for our first competitive game of the year, with a number of our starting line up rested, I don't think we should be concerned. A little rusty, of course, but that’s bound to be the case for a good few weeks yet.

Super League is finally back this week - thank God. Is it just me or does the off season feel longer every year? First up is a trip to Leigh who, like us, will be looking to improve on last year. The Leopards have recruited well for 2026, bringing in key signings from the NRL and other Super League rivals to show they mean business.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a tight, cagey game on Friday. No one wants to lose their opening round fixture and with both teams targeting at least a top-four finish, I’m not expecting anything spectacular at this stage. Seeing us come away with a win and two points is all I’ll be hoping for.

ALEX SHARP

Brad Arthur named a good side, including a mixture of experience and youth, to compete in our first competitive game of the season, the Challenge Cup round three tie at Widnes. Several of the Rhinos’ players got their official debut, with Fergie McCormack and George Brown both receiving a squad number for the year ahead.

I thought we controlled the game well, even when Widnes got back within six points in the second half. Good game management was shown when Brodie Croft kicked a drop goal just to make sure there was no late comeback.

In cup competitions the main aim is to win and move into the next round and that is what we did. Danny Levi and Ethan O’Neill showed they are going to be great additions to the squad with their back-up play and versatility, O’Neill even starting at seven. I was very content with the performance and glad we got to see some future stars.

Some sad news was that Mikolaj Oledzki looked to have sustained an injury to the ribs and didn’t return after going off. Hopefully he is not out of action for us for too long. Next up is Leigh away on Friday in Super League. I am excited to be there and hopefully we’ll claim our first two points of the 2026 season.