Leeds Rhinos news: youngster set pre-season challenge as Brad Arthur says future in 'very good hands'
Teenage forward Zak Lloyd could be one of the next youngsters to break into Leeds Rhinos’ first team.
The back-rower was included in Rhinos’ initial squad for Thursday’s Betfred Super League game at Huddersfield Giants, which was the second time he has featured in a 21 this season. He has been a regular in Rhinos’ under-18s this year and played for the second-string in Wednesday’s 45-8 win against Bradford Bulls which secured top spot on the reserves table.
Rhinos’ reserves lost only one of their 12 games and will face runners-up Warrington Wolves in the Grand Final at AMT Headingley. Leeds’ academy finished second, their only defeat being 19-18 at Warrington who ended the regular season with a 100 per cent winning record, but a vastly inferior points difference to Rhinos.
Leeds’ under-18s - who, like the reserves, are coached by Chev Walker - will play host to third-placed St Helens in a semi-final next weekend, when Warrington have home advantage against Wigan Warriors. Presley Cassell has graduated into the first team this year after playing for both lower-grade sides and academy stand-off George Brown and loose-forward Jacob Stead have both been included in 21-man squads without yet making their debut.
Head coach Brad Arthur reckons Lloyd is capable of pressing a first team claim next year, if he continues to put the work in. “I hope so,” Arthur said. “The pre-season will be a big governor of that and where he is at physically. Hopefully this gives him a bit of extra motivation and drive in the pre-season to realise he is getting close and what he needs to do to get himself in the frame.
“We gave young Browny an opportunity to be 18th man and warm up with the boys [in a previous game] and I like to give them that early preparation so they know what it’s all about and the first time they have to do it, it’s not something new.”
Leeds dominated this year’s Yorkshire academy squad with 11 Rhinos featuring in last month’s win against Lancashire and the success of the under-18s and reserves is an encouraging sign for the future, according to Arthur.
He said: “I go back to when everyone was talking about my future [before signing a contract for 2026] and I said the club is in very good hands with the people who were here before me. There’s good people doing a lot of work here.
“Chev has done a good job with all our pathways and Bleasey [sporting director Ian Blease] has done a good job with reearranging the roster and putting it into shape. We have still got a lot of work to do and you can’t rest on your laurels.
“You have got to want to continue to get better, but the club has got that drive at the moment, it is a good working environment and everyone’s happy with the job we are doing currently. But it can change in a week - it is my job to keep everyone on their toes and make sure it doesn’t change.”