Leeds Rhinos suffered a worrying injury blow against Wakefield Trinity with Ash Handley hobbling off the field last night.
It was a strange incident with the injury occurring after a Jay Pitts break as Handley darted back to cover.
However, after Pitts had made 15-20 metres, the play was called back after referee Ben Thaler had missed a forward pass but was alerted to the pass by his touch judge.
Had the forward pass been picked up earlier perhaps the injury wouldn’t have happened.
Initially it looked like his hamstring had gone but the fact he played on perhaps suggests otherwise however he looked in a bad way as he hobbled down the left unable to partake in the Leeds attack.
Eventually James Bentley came on to replace him with Rhyse Martin moving to centre.
Bentley himself is back from injury but it is interesting that a fellow returnee in the shape of star centre Harry Newman wasn’t brought on as his replacement.
The Rhinos are still without Mikolaj Oledzki and Luke Hooley after surgery.
They also lost 2022 skipper Kruise Leeming last week.
Handley was vice-captain last year so Leeds have lost two leadership figures in two weeks.
However, according to coach Rohan Smith, it might not be too serious.
He said: “It’s his ankle, they’re just assessing it. I’m not sure, it doesn’t look like it is a really serious one but it might be one that costs him a few weeks.
“Sometimes hard to tell straight after. A scan and 24-48 hours usually the key there.”