At least three Leeds Rhinos players will miss the start of the new Super League campaign, with one of them ruled out for the entire year.
Four of Rhinos’ top-20 squad left the field hurt during last Saturday’s Cameron Smith testimonial game against Bradford Bulls, which Leeds won 46-16 and the extent of their injuries has been confirmed following scans.
The most serious casualty was 21-year-old centre Max Simpson who suffered anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage and won’t play again this year.
Simpson, who signed a three-year contract extension in December, returned last summer after three years out of action with a similar injury to his other knee.
Dream Team second-rower James McDonnell has been ruled out of Rhinos’ Super League opener at Leigh Leopards in two weeks’ time after sustaining an ankle syndesmosis against Bulls. He is facing four to six weeks on the casualty list.
But fears captain Ash Handley could be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines have been dismissed.
Last weekend’s game was the centre’s comeback from surgery and he scored a brace of tries before leaving the field with a groin injury.
There were concerns that could be a recurrence of the previous problem, but scans have confirmed no serious damage and Handley is expected to be available for the game at Leigh.
Winger Chris Hankinson is also set to feature in round one after sustaining an “open nasal fracture” in the first half against Bulls which required treatment and stitches on the day.
Of the players who didn’t feature last weekend, winger Maika Sivo – who has been sidelined since tearing an ACL a year ago – is continuing his return to full fitness and is “due to be available for selection in the opening rounds of the season”, according to the club.
New front-row signing Jeremiah Mata’utia is poised for a return to training in the next few weeks after sustaining a minor knee injury in training.
Another prop, Keenan Palasia, returned to training this week following a similar issue and full-back Alfie Edgell has undergone surgery on the quad injury he sustained in the Boxing Day game against Wakefield Trinity. He is expected to be back on the field in 12 weeks’ time.
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