Leeds Rhinos and Bradford Bulls have both been forced into changes ahead of Sunday’s West Yorkshire derby between the two sides at Headingley.
Sunday will mark the third meeting this year between the sides since the Bulls’ return to Super League and Leeds will be aiming to complete the clean sweep, whilst also seeking a response to last week’s shock defeat to Castleford Tigers.
The Rhinos fell in a tight loss to the Tigers and Brad Arthur will be keen to see his side make amends but they’re without a number of key players on the back of being without the likes of Ash Handley and Keenan Palasia last week.
As for Bradford, their injury issues are even worse with Kurt Haggerty announcing a spate of season-ending injuries of late and like the Rhinos, they’re also coming off the back of a loss.
Both coaches have now named their squads with the Bulls unable to name 21 players, such are their injury woes.
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Leeds Rhinos team news
As mentioned above, both Ash Handley (appendix) and Keenan Palasia (foot) remain out but they’re joined on the sidelines by Danny Levi and Chris Hankinson, who both failed head injury assessments in the loss to Castleford.
Levi’s in particular was very scary with the hooker stretchered from the field after a 10-minute delay, though Brad Arthur was thankfully able to give a positive injury update when he spoke to the media this week.
Coming into the squad are Jarrod O’Connor, after he was sat down due to delayed concussion symptoms, and Ned McCormack. Arthur also confirmed that Ben Littlewood is set to play with the forward in line to replace Hankinson.
Leeds Rhinos 21-man squad: Lachie Miller, Maika Sivo, Harry Newman, Brodie Croft, Jake Connor, Mikolaj Oledzki, Jarrod O’Connor, Tom Holroyd, Kallum Watkins, James McDonnell, Cooper Jenkins, Cameron Smith, Presley Cassell, Alfie Edgell, Riley Lumb, Ned McCormack, Ben Littlewood, Tom Nicholson-Watton, Fergie McCormack, Jack Bird, Zak Lloyd
Leeds Rhinos Head Coach Brad Arthur is able to recall hooker Jarrod O’Connor after he completed the return to play protocol following concussion symptoms, Ned McCormack is also drafted in with Chris Hankinson and Danny Levi ruled out from last week pic.twitter.com/84Hk3sCmdv
— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) July 24, 2026
Bradford Bulls team news
It was confirmed earlier in the week that Cameron Bate, Mitch Souter, and Waqa Blake would all miss the remainder of the season and the latter two drop out of the squad, as well as Eribe Doro who is another player out for the year.
Loghan Lewis, who pulled out in the warm-up last week, is another to drop out, as well as Dan Russell, who suffered an eye injury in that loss.
Youngster Alfie Leake is called up with Phoenix Steinwede also returning in a big boost for the Bulls, who are very short in the pack. Academy youngster Harvey Ward is also named as Kurt Haggerty names just 19 players.
Bradford Bulls 19-man squad: Andy Ackers, Caleb Aekins, Guy Armitage, Chris Atkin, Riley Dean, Zac Fulton, Will Gardiner, Luke Hooley, Alfie Leake, Joe Mellor, Jayden Nikorima, Jack Ormondroyd, Eliot Peposhi, Ethan Ryan, Ebon Scurr, Phoenix Steinwede, Ryan Sutton, Harvey Ward, Connor Wynne
👥 SQUAD | Kurt Haggerty has named his ASN Doors 19-Man squad for Sunday’s trip to AMT Headingley Stadium to face Leeds Rhinos (3:00pm).
📖 | Read: https://t.co/OowLpXB6IP#RunWithTheBulls pic.twitter.com/7Gq5kmtBoi
— Bradford Bulls (@OfficialBullsRL) July 24, 2026
