Leeds Rhinos transfer deadline update as coach Brad Arthur confirms Matt Lodge role for York Knights clash
New signing Matt Lodge will make his Leeds Rhinos debut as a substitute at York Knights on Sunday, coach Brad Arthur has confirmed.
Lodge was training with his new teammates for the first time today (Wednesday), three days after arriving in England from Australia. The 31-year-old prop has signed a contract until the end of this season.
Speaking at his weekly preview press conference this morning, Arthur said Lodge will be in Rhinos’ matchday side at York, but none of the club’s injured players will be ready to return. The coach also said it’s unlikely any more signing will be made before Friday’s Betfred Super League transfer deadline and Leeds won’t be allowing any of their current squad to leave.
“We’ve worked hard to get where we are and we’ll work hard to stay there,” he insisted. “We need everyone on board.”
Arthur will name a 21-man squad on Friday. He said: “Jack Bird won’t play after his concussion and we don’t get anyone back from injury yet. A couple are getting closer - Danny Levi is getting closer, but not this week. Lodgey will be in the 17 off the bench somewhere. He sat through our review and got a bit of a feel for what we do really well and what’s not acceptable on our team.”
Arthur - who tried to sign Lodge during his time as coach of Parramatta Eels - stressed the recruit’s task will be to “carry the ball strong, get a few play the balls and defensively get off the line and make his tackles”. He revealed: “He’ll probably come on as third change, give him a stint before half-time, let him start the second half and go as hard and as long as he can. Once he’s cooked we’ll get him off and try and find some time at the back end of the game for him.
“We’ve talked through his role and what it’ll look like for him on Sunday and his game time, so he has got a heads up and he can plan for it. He’s excited to come and play well. He is playing to put himself in the shop window for a contract, whether it be here, at another club in Super League or back in Australia.
“He just wants to get some good game time and play well and put himself in a position where he maybe gives himself a couple of options. One might be here. If he plays well and puts himself in a position where he has clubs interested in him, that’s great for us.”
With Bird ruled out, Harry Newman will switch to his specialist role at centre. Of who’ll replace Newman on the left-wing, Arthur said: “We’ve got a couple of options. Riley Lumb is an option and Oscar Brown did a good job in reserve grade the other day, though he’s probably short of a gallop.”
Second-rower James McDonnell, who has a pectoral muscle injury, is “pushing for the Wigan game [in two weeks’ time]”, Arthur stated. “If he had his way, he’d be playing this week. He is tough, he doesn’t need to be 100 per cent and he won’t get to 100 per cent, but we’ll aim for that Wigan game and if not it’ll be Hull FC.”