Why taking on Leeds Rhinos at Headingley is dream come true for York Knights star with 'point to prove'

For one of them, 23-year-old forward Oli Field, running out for a Betfred Super League fixture at AMT Headingley will be a dream come true, but not in the way he originally hoped. A childhood Leeds fan, he followed in his father Jamie Field’s footsteps when he joined the club’s scholarship, aged 14, but - unlike Ben Jones-Bishop, Paul McShane, Jordan Thompson, Justin Sangare and King Vuniyayawa - never played a first team game.

Having captained the under-19s in 2021 and been promoted to the first team squad the following year, Field joined York in March, 2023, on an initial loan deal which quickly became a permanent move. “Growing up a Rhinos fan, running out there on a Friday night is something I dreamed of doing in a Rhinos kit at one time, but to do it in a York kit is something I am pretty proud of and I am looking forward to,” he said of tomorrow’s game, when York will aim to back up last Thursday’s stunning round one win against treble-winners Hull KR.

“I was always a Rhinos fan as a kid growing up. I think most kids my age at that time grew up to be Leeds fans so joining the club was a dream come true, but I am a big York fan now.”

Field admits he “never really got much of an opportunity” with Rhinos and so does have a point to prove. “Potentially I do, more to myself than anything else, I think,” he said. “There were a few different reasons why it didn’t go to plan last time I was there.

“I think I made the move at the right time, when I came to York. It was the right decision and at the moment it seems to have paid off. My goal was always to get back to Super League and I am glad I have been able to do it with York. The last three and a half years have been pretty special and the way we have built back up has been great, so potentially to myself, yes.”

Reflecting on his exit from Rhinos, Field said: “It was a pretty big decision. I was full-time at Leeds and I kind of got a bit fed up with playing in the reserves. The reserve competition wasn’t great at the time and I just wanted to be playing first team rugby.

“Originally it was a loan to York, but I ended up loving the club and found some form and it made sense to stay. It has been great.”

Field keeps in touch with some of his former teammates and is looking forward to a reunion this week.“There’s been a fair bit of change over the last few years, but the lads who were my mates at the time were younger boys like Tom Holroyd and Jarrod O’Connor,” he said.

“A few of the younger boys were just coming through, like Riley Lumb and Tom Nicholson-Watton who I played with when I was 14. We have played a fair few games together so it’ll be good to catch up.”