More Leeds Rhinos players could go out on loan if the club’s injury-free run continues, but England centre Harry Newman won’t be among them.
While many of their Super League rivals are battling a lengthy injury list, Rhinos have 19 of their top-20 players in contention for tonight’s (Friday) derby at Bradford Bulls.
As things stand, rookies Max Simpson, Alfie Edgell and George Brown are the only first-team players on the casualty roster. Of those, just Brown, a 19-year-old half-back, has played a competitive game this season.
Newman is expected to miss a second successive game this evening after being replaced by recent signing Jack Bird for last Sunday’s win against Warrington Wolves.
Of the other members of the 21-strong initial squad who didn’t play five days ago, Presley Cassell hasn’t featured since Betfred Super League round one and fellow forwards Ethan O’Neill and Jeremiah Mata’utia have been left out of the past three matches.
Cassell played on loan for Huddersfield Giants in Bulls’ previous home match two weeks ago, along with clubmates Ned McCormack and Riley Lumb.
Other first-team players, including Tom Nicholson-Watton and Ben Littlewood, have also spent time at other clubs this year.
Some of Rhinos’ senior squad will feature for the reserves against Bradford at Horsfall Stadium tomorrow, but coach Brad Arthur confirmed loan deals “might be a possibility, as long as it works for us as well as the team that’s in need of them,” when Super League returns after next week’s Challenge Cup break.
However, that won’t include Newman. Arthur stated: “Harry has just had a couple of bumps and bruises and we wanted to get him through that.
“Now he is committed to getting himself back in the team. We don’t want Harry Newman going anywhere; he is part of our team and an integral part of our team.”
Leeds Rhinos coach facing tough selection calls
Arthur admitted it is “hard” leaving fit players out of the side. “As a coach I am whinging I can’t get everyone in the team, but if we had injuries I’d be whinging about that,” he conceded.
“As coaches we are never happy. I just feel sorry for those guys [who aren’t being selected].
“For those guys it is tough. I talk to them weekly about it and all they can do is train well and, the games they get in reserve grade, play well.
“There might be a possibility we can get them some Super League games, we want to do all we can to get them playing at the best level, but at the moment it creates good, healthy competition for spots and that’s what we need.”
Arthur said the players missing out are “frustrated and disappointed, which is what I would expect and want from them”, but stressed: “They are training well and doing all the right things.
“There is no negativity from them around the group. If they had their choice they’d rather be in the team and that’s what we need – we need guys who all want to be in the team, then the guys who are can’t take it for granted because the ones who are missing out want their spots. That’s not a negative thing, it’s a positive.”
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