Leeds Rhinos latest team news as key man ruled out of Leigh Leopards clash
One of Leeds Rhinos’ most influential players has been ruled out of tomorrow’s (Thursday) huge game at Leigh Leopards.
Loose-forward Cameron Smith - who missed the defeat at Wakefield Trinity two weeks ago because of injury - has been named in Rhinos’ 21-man squad, but coach Brad Arthur revealed he won’t play in the third versus fifth clash. “He is having some issues around his back,” Arthur said.
“We thought a couple of weeks off would help and it did help. He trained on Monday with us and had to do a bit of contact; it was reasonably physical and he’s just not quite ready yet. He won’t play.”
Hooker Andy Ackers, who was ill for the Wakefield game, is in contention and second-rower Morgan Gannon is poised to return after five matches on the sidelines with an ankle injury. Arthur confirmed: “He got through Monday’s session really well and trained good today. He is keen to get out there.”
Winger Chris Hankinson, signed on Monday from Salford Red Devils, is also in the initial squad and “has a chance” of making his debut this week, according to Arthur. He is vying with Riley Lumb to replace Alfie Edgell who suffered a foot injury against Wakefield.
Imports Maika Sivo and Ethan Clark-Wood are on the long-term injury list and academy graduates Ned McCormack and Max Simpson aren’t yet ready for first team rugby after lengthy spells on the sidelines. Explaining the decision to sign Hankinson, who is contracted until the end of this season, Arthur said: “With Alfie going down and Maika [Sivo] out, we’ve still got Riley there, but we are looking after him physically and he has got a couple of things he needs to work on.
“We wanted to make sure we had enough depth at the back end of the year. If we had another injury there we’d have to move a forward into the backs and I don’t really want to do that. That’s not fair on anyone in the forwards either.”
As reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post yesterday, Edgell has been cleared of a broken foot, but is facing an extended spell out of the team. Arthur noted: “The good thing about it is there’s no fracture, but he has got very bad bone bruising.
“Alfie is a tough kid, he stayed out there for as long as he could the other night. He did it early in the first half, but it got worse and worse and we got to the stage where those injuries turn into stress fractures and then they are big injuries.
“That’s why we got him off, but he still can’t put a heap of weight on it. It could be anything from four to six to eight weeks. It’s one of those where if you push him too hard, too early it turns into a stress fracture and that’s no good for his career or the club.”
Leigh Leopards: from McIntosh, Niu, Hanley, Charnley, O’Brien, Lam, Trout, Ipape, Mulhern, Halton, Hughes, Liu, Tuitavake, Davis, Brand, O’Neill, Badrock, McNamara, Hodgson, Towse, Ofahengaue.
Leeds Rhinos: from Miller, Newman, Handley, Hall, Croft, Ackers, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell, Smith, O’Connor, Lisone, Gannon, Jenkins, Connor, Sinfield, Lumb, Littlewood, Watkins, Cassell, Hankinson.
Referee: Jack Smith (Wigan). Kick-off: Thursday, 8pm.