Leeds are without scrum-half Matt Frawley, who failed an head injury assessment during the defeat at Catalans Dragons last week, but full-back Lachie Miller could make his first appearance of 2025.
Miller missed Rhinos’ final two matches of last year with a hamstring problem and then suffered a calf muscle injury in pre-season, but has been named in the initial 21-man squad for this week’s fourth round tie.
Frawley’s absence could potentially open the door for Miller to come into the team at full-back with Jake Connor switching into the halves.
“Lachie is getting very close to being available,” Arthur said during his preview press conference today (Wednesday).
“He has done a bit with us and has still got a bit to do. It’s either this week or next week; it could be this week, we’ve just got a bit more to get through.”
Of what Miller would bring to the side, Arthur said: “He is a very good talker and would alleviate some pressure off the spine, the halves. He is good in that area with his communication.
“It would be tough coming straight into full-back, he has got to cover a lot of kilometres on the field and move around a bit.
“We’ve got to make sure we’ve got an option up our sleeve, whether he can get out the full 80 or not. We’ve got a bit more to do this week and still a couple more days until Friday.”
The coach confirmed Connor “could be” an option to replace Frawley at scrum-half, though he said Jack Sinfield has also trained there this week.
“We’ve done quite a few different things this week, but we’re probably not going to know more until game day on Friday,” he said. “He has done a bit there and Jack has done a bit there.”
Arthur insisted he has no concerns about Connor defending in the Leeds Rhinos halves, adding: “I have no preconceived ideas or perceptions on any of the players.
“I am only dealing on what I have seen and my interactions with them. Any time we’ve done any defence, Jake has been in every contact wrestle session and committed to it at training.
“He understands the systems and how we want to defend and being strong in that front line and having that positive, aggressive mindset of getting our line forward – and he has got some strong defenders around him.
“I would only expect him to stand his body in front of their strong ball carriers and do his job and I am sure he will.
“He is a smart footballer and he knows what he needs to do. It is just making sure he does do it, which I am fully confident, if he has to play there, he’ll do.”
Veteran winger Ryan Hall is expected to feature on Friday after missing last week’s game because of a rib injury. Arthur revealed Hall has “done all the training and is good to go”.
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