Leeds Rhinos: Galloway ready to spring into action after lay-off

Galloway will miss the opening rounds of Betfred Super League after rupturing an Achilles in Leeds’ loss at Huddersfield Giants last September.

But the 31-year-old confirmed his recovery is going well and he is now back in light training with his team-mates.

“I am on track,” Galloway said.

“It’s a fair recovery from the injury and I’m not running yet, but I am walking around pain-free, so I am ticking all the boxes at this stage.”

Explaining his injury, Galloway, who walked from the field at John Smith’s Stadium, said: “I ruptured off the bone so I had surgery a couple of days after doing it, in the second-last game of the year.

“The first month was pretty tough.

“We’d just had a baby too, so it was pretty hard on my wife, but we got through it and I am training hard now, doing what I can and I am looking forward to trying to get back on the field as soon as possible.”

Galloway was given an extended break, but reported back to the club after Christmas.

He said: “I’ve been back in the country for nearly three weeks now. I got back here just before New Year.

“I had to spend a lot of time back home, with the injury.

“It’s a long one so the club gave me a bit of time to spend back home with family and freshen up a bit.

“I’ve been looking after the injury and doing what I can and it’s good to be back among the boys.”

Galloway admitted it wasn’t easy maintaining his fitness during the early stages of recovery, when he could not train.

“You can’t do too much,” he said. “It is hard to get around so you’ve got to look after your diet, try not to put too much weight on and things like that.

“The first month or two’s the tough part. Once you get through that you can start to doing a lot more.”

Galloway said he has not put an exact date on when he hopes to be back in action.

“It’s such a long injury, it’s different for every person,” he said.

“But I am hopeful, if everything goes to plan, I will be ready to play in April, at some stage.”

The injury brought Galloway’s first season at Leeds to a traumatic end and he admitted: “It was a tough year, for the club and me personally.

“But I will get a lot out of it and I am sure it will make me a better person. I’m think we’ll do better this year.

“The boys have been saying pre-season has been really good, they’ve trained really hard and I can feel that vibe among the boys.

“I am not on the field with them, but you can tell how upbeat everything is. I’m sure we’ve put last year behind us and we’re going to give everything this year.”

Meanwhile, Rhinos players Jordan Lilley, Ash Golding and Sam Hallas are taking their first steps on the coaching ladder.

The trio are assisting Lilley’s father Mark with coaching the new Stanningley Academy side, who play host to Hunslet Club Parkside Academy on Saturday (2.30pm).

The academy sides have been set up to improve the transition of players from youth rugby to open-age.