Rohan Smith solves Leeds Rhinos halfback problem in unique way as three teenagers feature

It was always going to be tough for Rohan Smith this week selecting a team with three members of his first choice spine out injured in Aidan Sezer, Blake Austin and skipper Kruise Leeming.

This compounded the problem of suspensions crippling the Leeds pack with Matt Prior’s two-match ban joining Zane Tetevano, Tom Holroyd and Muizz Mustapha on the sidelines leaving Mikolaj Oledzki as the only specialist prop.

He has subsequently been joined by Sam Walters who is traditionally a backrow but has brilliantly developed into a frontrower under Rohan Smith and makes his first start in the position tonight.

Bodene Thompson returns from a ban to take Walters’ spot on the bench and is also an option at prop despite preferring the backrow spot. James Donaldson is also on the bench and will likely come on down the middle.

Intriguingly, they’re the only big men on the Leeds bench with livewire hooker Brad Dwyer joined by young halfback Jack Sinfield.

He’ll likely come on in the halves allowing Liam Sutcliffe to move to centre and Rhyse Martin to move to the backrow with Sutcliffe starting at six alongside Corey Johnson and Martin in the centres alongside youngster Max Simpson.

He and Sinfield are two of the three teenagers present alongside Morgan Gannon who starts in the backrow alongside James Bentley.

Interestingly, there is no place for on loan prop Yusuf Aydin from Wakefield Trinity.

Here’s the team in full:

Rohan Smith has named his starting line to face Toulouse this evening, kick off 7pm (UK time)
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— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) July 16, 2022