Leeds Rhinos news: giant signing to star as team named for Brad Singleton testimonial v Castleford Tigers

Mata’utia, signed from North Queensland Cowboys, is set to start in the front-row and is one of only three players in Leeds’ 22 with a squad number for this season. Coach Brad Arthur said: “Jerry’s going to play to get some minutes, along with Tom Nicholson-Watton and Ben Littlewood. Outside of that, it’s the kids.

“Chev [Walker, Rhinos’ reserves boss] will coach the team and it’s a good measure for them individually of where they are at physically. Those three I’ve mentioned have a bit to prove to me; they want to get a bit more game time in the main team so there’s a few things they have got to show me and it’s a good opportunity for them to get some conditioning in.”

Mata’utia made his first appearance for Leeds in their Boxing Day home win against Wakefield Trinity. “He did a really good job for us, he was really good with the ball,” Arthur said. “There’s a few things defensively he has got to continue to work at to fit in with our systems, but he is a project for us, the same as Cooper Jenkins was when he first came over. We’ve seen Cooper get better and better and I am sure Jerry’s going to do the same.”

Littlewood and Nicholson-Watton are also backing up from Boxing Day, along with Harley Thomas, Jacob Hardy, Marcus Qareqare, Harry Smith, Jacob Stead, Joe Diskin and Oliver Smart in the starting lineup and Joe Butterfield and Jacob Toala on the bench.

Teenage half-back George Brown - who was man of the match in the Christmas game - and second-rower Zak Lloyd aren’t included, which suggests they will be part of a full-strength team to face Bradford Bulls in Cameron Smith’s testimonial next weekend.

Leeds Rhinos: Thomas, Richardson, Hardy, O Brown, Qareqare, Hutchinson, H Smith, Stead, Diskin, Mata’utia, Littlewood, Smart, Nicholson-Watton. Subs Fox, Butterfield, Tinkler, Jones-Buchanan, Butterworth, R Smith, White, Tooala, Hetherington.

Referee: Tom Grant (Leeds). Kick-off: Sunday, 3pm.