It’s nearly a year since Harry Newman suffered a horrendous leg break in a victory over Hull KR.
The injury was a particularly bitter pill to swallow for the Leeds youngster. He was in superb form – form which would see him crowned Young Player of the Year despite his injury – and was set to play in his first ever Challenge Cup semi-final. Instead, he was forced to watch on as Leeds won the Challenge Cup in his absence.
It took 10 months for him to return to the field. Plenty worried that the injury could see his potential squandered but that has not been the case. Since making his first appearance of the season away at Catalans, the young centre has kicked on producing career best form.
He scored a classic try in the defeat to Warrington at Headingley and has been an attacking threat every week since he came back.
Last night, however, he produced arguably his finest ever game. He scored a magnificent solo try swatting away a defender on his way to the try line prior to conjuring up an audacious assist for Kruise Leeming’s vital score.
That was just the tip of the iceberg. He scrambled well in defence all night and came up with a huge charge down when Marc Sneyd was looking to win the game with a drop goal.
All of this made him one of the finest performers on the night, maybe even across the entire day. He was certainly my Man of the Match.
It seems I am not alone in this opinion. Former Australian international Keith Galloway took to Twitter to praise the Rhinos after the win and in particular Newman himself.
What a hard fought win @leedsrhinos 💪 Harry Newman, what a baller 🔥
— Keith Galloway (@kgalloway85) September 4, 2021
Galloway made five appearances for the Green and Gold and knows full well about the quality Leeds’ backs can shown as his Australian appearances came when Ryan Hall was tearing up the Four Nations in 2011 coming up with some world class finishes.
The former Wests Tiger does have a soft spot for the Rhinos of course after all he spent two seasons at Headingley helping the Rhinos get to Old Trafford in 2017.
