Leeds Rhinos boss delivers injury update on forward and explains Mikolaj Oledzki decision

A Leeds Rhinos player will undergo a scan after being injured during Friday’s 18-4 loss at St Helens.

Rhinos went into the game with an almost fully-fit squad, but were second-best to a Saints side missing a host of first-choice players.

Leeds trailed 8-0 at half-time and threatened to make a game of it when they pulled a try back soon afterwards, but Saints added 10 points in the final quarter to seal a comprehensive win.

Adding injury to insult for Rhinos, they finished with 16 fit players after second-row Morgan Gannon – who returned to the field after passing a head injury assessment in the first half – was unable to come out following the break.

Though the head knock was a concern after Gannon – who will join New Zealand Warriors at the end of this season – missed the whole 2024 campaign because of concussion, coach Brad Arthur revealed that wasn’t the reason he didn’t feature in the second 40.

Arthur said: “It’s something to do with his shin. We need to send him for scans and an x-ray to check that.

“There was a tackle and someone fell on his leg and he got put in the wrong position, so we’ve got to check his shin.”

Leeds Rhinos boss explains Oledzki withdrawal

Prop Mikolaj Oledzki didn’t return for a second spell against Saints after being substituted in the first half, but Arthur revealed that was tactical.

The coach explained: “At the back end of the game I felt like we were chasing points, trying to win the game.

“Mik’s a good, tough, hard worker, but we needed blokes who could create. The job is, even if it’s ugly, to try to find a way to scrap a win and deal with it later. I was trying to have all the guys out there who had a bit of ball-play in them.”

Leeds do have cover in the forwards if Gannon faces a lengthy layoff. Hooker Andy Ackers – who is now fit and available following a long-term hamstring injury – and prop Cooper Jenkins are both pressing for a call into the 17 after successive games with the reserves.