Leeds Rhinos rising star Tom Nicholson-Watton outlines high ambitions ahead of visit to London Broncos

Last Friday was Nicholson-Watton’s seventh first team appearance for Leeds and sixth this season, all as a substitute. He has played in the last three matches, but the defeat of Catalans was the most game time of his short senior career and proof he can compete at the top level.

“It was good,” the Leeds-born 21-year-old said. “I was expecting to do what I did last week and the week before, 10 minutes either side of half-time. We spoke in the week, me and Brad [Arthur, Rhinos’ coach] about some stuff I needed to improve on - some of my concentration and detail. I was getting it right at times and it was good to know Brad trusted me and left me out there for a decent period.”

Leeds trailed 6-0 at half-time and weren’t assured of victory until the final moments and Nicholson-Watton reckons being given a chance in such a tight game was a vote of confidence. He added: “It is good knowing he [Arthur] trusts me to do my job. The boys got round me after the game and said I did a good job, so that’s a massive confidence boost.”

The former Guiseley Rangers and Stanningley junior has had to be patient this year. He played twice in the first half of the campaign, also had a spell on loan at York Knights and has been a regular in Rhinos’ 21-man squads without being selected for the matchday 17.

Injuries to first-choice props Mikolaj Oledzki and Tom Holroyd have given him an opportunity and he’s keen to stay in the side for the rest of the campaign. “Hopefully I am doing enough to keep my spot,” he said. “We might have some players coming back and I am completely understanding of that, but hopefully I have proved I can compete at this level.”

Nicholson-Watton got a first taste of senior action on loan at then-Betfred Championship side Keighley Cougars last year and made his Rhinos debut against Castleford Tigers in the final game of the campaign. Having chosen rugby league over football, he joined Rhinos’ scholarship in 2018 and progressed through the reserves and academy into the full-time squad. He has also played for England under-16s and Yorkshire academy.

“I was waiting for my opportunity and I knew when I was given it I had to grab it with both hands and have a proper dig and prove I can compete,” he said. “I think I have had a decent go at it and hopefully I can keep my spot in the squad and be playing every week, but we’ll see what happens.”

Nicholson-Watton clearly enjoyed himself against Catalans and noticeably celebrated after forcing an important knock-on in the second half. “It is good knowing I can have an impact on the team,” he stressed. “Hopefully we can get some stuff going our way and the excitement and spark we’ve got in our halves and on the edge can make something happen if us middles do our job. If we do our job, good things will come after that.”

Last week’s win kept Leeds in the hunt for a play-off place. They remain eighth in the table, but are just two points behind sixth-placed Catalans and one adrift of Leigh Leopards, who are seventh.

Rhinos face the bottom pair of London Broncos and Hull FC in their next matches, before finishing the league season away to the top two of Wigan Warriors and Hull KR. Nicholson-Watton insisted: “I am not looking at the top-six, really.

“For me, I want to improve every week. I’ll look at my video and have a chat with Brad about how he thinks I can improve and it’ll just be on to the next game for me.”

Leeds have won half of their six games since Arthur took charge last month. He initially joined Rhinos on a short-term contract, but has now signed on for 2025.

“It’s great, the level of detail and accountability he has,” Nicholson-Watton said of playing under the former Parramatta Eels coach. “He holds everyone accountable and he has made us all aware of what he wants. If we aren’t doing that, he will pick us up on it.

“He did that last week, we had a chat about my detail and some concentration when I was getting a bit tired. I like to think I did a good job on that [last Friday].”