Leeds Rhinos will send a young side to Hunslet on Sunday as they attempt to end a four-year losing run in the Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Trophy.

Rhinos’ squad is made up largely of second year academy players, though full-timers Riley Lumb, Joe Gibbons and Oli Field are included.

They all featured during Rhinos’ first team pre-season campaign, along with Kai Morgan, Tom Nicholson-Watton and Bailey Aldridge.

Ten of Rhinos’ squad for Sunday were involved in last year’s academy Grand Final which they won at league leaders St Helens with a try in golden-point extra-time.

Bailey Aldridge, who made a brief appearance for Rhinos agianst Bradford last month, is in the squad to face Hunslet. Picture by Tony Johnson.

placeholder image — Bailey Aldridge, who made a brief appearance for Rhinos agianst Bradford last month, is in the squad to face Hunslet. Picture by Tony Johnson.

The derby will be Tony Smith’s first game since joining Rhinos as academy coach in the off-season.

“It is a great opportunity for our young lads to put into play what they’ve been practising for the last 10-12 weeks,” Smith said.

“It’s against a quality side in Hunslet, who have recruited really well. It’s against men and it’s good, coming towards the end of pre-season, to be able to give these young guys a test.

“They are at the start of their journey and there’ll be some seasoned professionals in Hunslet’s side.”

Joe Gibbons, a try scorer against Bradford last month, is in Rhinos' squad to play Hunslet. Picture by Tony Johnson.

Smith coached Wakefield Trinity in Super League two decades ago, had a long spell in charge of Castleford Tigers’ academy and joined Leeds in the off-season after a stint as assistant-boss at Dewsbury Rams.

Hunslet name squad for Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Trophy tie against Leeds Rhinos

Sunday is his first chance to see Rhinos’ youngsters in action after a long pre-season. He said: “Everybody has got their own rate of development and I think it would be unfair to single anyone out.

“We’ve got a good group of professional young men who want to work hard and want to be rugby players.

Oli Field, pictured on the ball against Bradford last month, is in Rhinos' squad for Sunday. Picture by Tony Johnson.

“It’s a bit different [to first team pre-season], it’s not like saying they are a couple of weeks away, with these lads it is a continual development.

“These lads are a few years off where they need to be, but it is a natural progression and they will be full of energy and enthusiasm. It’s the same for me - I am looking forward to it.”

Rhinos under-18s begin their league campaign against Wakefield Trinity at Stanningley on Thursday, March 9.

Smith said: “I have been impressed with a lot of the first year academy players who have stepped up from the scholarship this year, but they won’t be playing [on Sunday] - I don’t want to play 16/17-year-old lads against grown men. It is mainly second year academy players, with a handful of reserves.”

Rhinos are aiming to break a four-match losing run in the annual pre-season derby.

Ash Handley bagged a brace of tries and Cory Aston and Josh Walters also crossed in Leeds’ last win over Hunslet, in January, 2017.

Rhinos’ side that day included Sam Hallas, Josh Jordan-Roberts and Harvey Whiteley, who are all in Hunslet’s squad for this weekend’s rematch.

Since then, Hunslet have held the upper hand with four successive victories, including a 34-6 win last year.

Leeds Rhinos (at Hunslet): from Touhey, Balback, Proud, Johnson, Lumb, K Morgan, Shaw, Nicholson-Watton, Aldridge, Brennan-Jones, Gibbons, Littlewood, Field, McSwiney, Gibson, Robinson, Aliyu. Gilmore, B Morgan, Peacock, Tchamambe.

Referee: Kevin Moore (Wakefield).

Kick-off: Sunday, 3pm.