Leeds Rhinos news: forward ruled out for season as teenager’s debut confirmed v Toulouse Olympique
One Leeds Rhinos player has been ruled out for the rest of this season and another couple are facing six games on the sidelines, but there will be a first team debut this week.
Rhinos coach Brad Arthur revealed star winger Maika Sivo has undergone surgery on his broken arm and rookie forward Ben Littlewood won’t play again this year. Both were injured in last Sunday’s home win against Bradford Bulls, but their loss opens a place in the 17 for highly-rated youngster Zak Lloyd.
Speaking at his weekly preview press conference today (Wednesday) ahead of Friday’s visit of Toulouse Olympique, Arthur said: “Maika had a plate put in this morning. I’d say his return will be against Hull in the last round.
“It’s a broken forearm. He won’t be in plaster, he’ll be in a brace and look after it for the first couple of weeks, make sure there’s no infection, but after 10 days, maybe two weeks max, we’ll be able to run him and keep him fit. He’ll just have to avoid any contact and he’ll be right to go for that last game.”
Littlewood made his first start for Leeds last week, but limped off in the first half. “It’s his hamstring and probably [he’s out for] the season, which is un fortunate for him,” Arthur said.
Littlewood suffered a broken hand playing on loan for York Knights earlier this year and Arthur added: “He has just got to stay strong. These periods for young blokes, if they can come out the other side of it it will make them better players.”
Second-rower Chris Hankinson will return from a concussion layoff on Friday and Lloyd, who was 18th man against Bulls, will make his debut. He played twice on loan for Hunslet at the start of this season. Of Rhinos’ other injuries, Arthur said hooker Danny Levi is facing at least another two games on the sidelines after his neck injury at Castleford Tigers a fortnight ago.
“It certainly won’t be within a month from the time of his injury,”Arthur said of Levi’s return. “It is a minimum of four weeks and from there it’s just when everyone’s comfortable and he’s comfortable - it’s just a week at a time as we progress him back into contact slowly.
“It could be another week or two after that or another three or four. I am not sure, but it is definitely a month from the time of injury.”
Prop Keenan Palasia (foot) is on track for the Hull game and centre Ash Handley and winger Ryan Hall are “touch and go” for next week’s derby at Wakefield Trinity. Arthur said: “Every time you have an injury, whoever it is, it is a blow to the team, but it gives opportunities to other guys and it builds character.
"After half an hour the other day we only had 15 players left and they are the things that galvanise the team and you see what you are made of. I liked our response. I know we got a fair bit wrong in the game, but we never got anything wrong with our choices or attitude.”