Leeds Rhinos hit by new injury blow as another key forward ruled out of 21-man squad v Salford Red Devils
Leeds Rhinos have been struck by a major new injury blow to their pack ahead of Friday’s home game against Salford Red Devils.
Rhinos will be without Tom Holroyd as well as his fellow prop and England training squad member Mikolaj Oledzki for the visit of Betfred Super League’s bottom team. Holroyd was suspended for the 6-0 loss to St Helens five days ago, but Rhinos today revealed he has undergone surgery on a scaphoid (wrist) injury and will be sidelined for six weeks.
Oledzki had already been ruled out for up to eight weeks after suffering a fractured cheekbone and damage to an eye socket - which will require an operation - during last Friday’s game. Both players were in outstanding form and with Tom Nicholson-Watton still recovering from a stress fracture to a foot, three of the six specialist props in Rhinos’ first team squad are now on the casualty list.
Eighteen-year-old back-rower Presley Cassell is set to make his first team debut on Friday as a substitute. Academy half-back George Brown has been included in the initial squad for the first time to gain experience, but is not expected to play. Brown scored the decisive try for Rhinos in last year’s Boxing Day win against Wakefield Trinity.
Suggestions some members of Salford’s squad would refuse to play because of the club’s on-going financial issues appear to have proved unfounded. Coach Paul Rowley has made three changes to the 21 named ahead of last week’s win against Castleford Tigers, all because of injury.
Centre Esan Marsters (arm), stand-off Jayden Nikorima (arm) and substitute Loghan Lewis (concussion) all miss out and are replaced by forward Charlie Glover, hooker Finley Yates and winger Sam Hill. On-loan Rhinos forward Toby Warren is included in Salford’s initial squad.
Speaking at his weekly preview press conference today (Wednesday), Rowley responded to reports claiming the RFL were set for crisis talks at Salford after players informed club officials, including the coach, they were considering boycotting the fixture at Headingley. Rowley said: “I read an article saying I had been made aware of certain players not playing etc. That’s not true. Nobody has approached me, I have not had any dialogue regarding that, that’s utter bull.
“Second, the RFL are coming in. That was at the request of the players. They’ve not come in on a white horse or anything, it has been at the request of the players just for some clarity and some good chat and they are kindly doing that. That’s all good, it’s not the gravitas it was made out to be.”
Rhinos’ initial squad is: Lachie Miller, Harry Newman, Ash Handley, Ryan Hall, Brodie Croft, Andy Ackers, Keenan Palasia, James Bentley, James McDonnell, Cameron Smith, Jarrod O’Connor, Sam Lisone, Cooper Jenkins, Jake Connor, Alfie Edgell, Riley Lumb, Ben Littlewood, Ethan Clark-Wood, Kallum Watkins, Presley Cassell, George Brown.
Salford’s 21 is: Ryan Brierley, Ethan Ryan, Joe Mellor, Chris Hill, Joe Shorrocks, Jack Ormondroyd, Justin Sangare, Matty Foster, Chris Hankinson, Harvey Wilson, Kai Morgan, Nathan Connell, Charlie Glover, Tiaki Chan, Finley Yates, Oliver Russell, Toby Warren, Sam Hill, Dan Russell, Tom Whitehead, Declan Murphy.