Leeds Rhinos saw off Hull KR on Thursday night and the performance of one man has got some of the sport’s leading pundits talking.
Presley Cassell made just his fifth appearance for the Rhinos as they beat KR 28-6 but it’s clear to see that he is becoming an integral part of Brad Arthur’s side.
The 18-year-old shone for England Academy last year against France and was named as part of Leeds Rhinos’ first-team squad this year.
As the club’s injury crisis worsened over the past two months, Cassell has been afforded his Leeds Rhinos debut and more recently, his first two starts for the club.
The teen has scored in both of those starts, crashing over in last week’s dominant win over Castleford Tigers before being in the right place at the right time on Thursday night when he collected the ball after Kallum Watkins’ kick hit the post.
However, it was his second-half showing when he almost scored an incredible solo try and then played a key role in Harry Newman’s score that has garnered the most attention.
Is Leeds Rhinos’ Presley Cassell the next Sam Burgess?
Cassell made most of his 97 metres against Hull KR when he broke from mid-field and rounded the full-back, only to be caught by a brilliant Joe Burgess covering tackle.
Having broken the field wide open, Leeds would score just a couple of tackles later as the ball shifted right to Harry Newman and he made it 26-0 and seal the game.
Assessing that performance and his rampaging run in particular, former Leeds Rhinos star Danny McGuire exclaimed: “What a future! Just his ability to move laterally late on there when he leaves Rhyse Martin for dead.
“He was really unlucky not to get to the try line there but I think his impact so far over this last month has been outstanding for a young player.”
Jon Wilkin was the next to wax lyrical and he’d go even further, comparing the Leeds Rhinos teen to one of the finest players that England have ever produced.
Wilkin, who debuted for Hull KR at 16, said: “Presley Cassell’s carry reminded me so much of Sam Burgess in the 2011 Four Nations.
“Do you know where he slams in and bumps off his foot and beats people. It was pretty special.”
It wasn’t just on that one instance that Cassell impressed as he also made 21 tackles and a whopping five tackle busts on his eleven carries.
A message from Presley Cassell 🤳 pic.twitter.com/Y82XfzSSnu
— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) August 21, 2025
