The teenage centre sat out Leeds Rhinos’ final game of the season, at home to Warrington Wolves last Friday, owing to injury, but hopes to be selected for the one-off international on Sunday, October 20. “I was gutted to miss [Friday’s game] with a hamstring injury, but we didn’t want to risk it,” Newman confirmed. “We decided, as a group, it wasn’t worth risking for just one game and with England Knights coming up I didn’t want to tear it, but I wish I had been out there.” Newman played for England academy in last year’s two-nil Test series whitewash of Austrlaian Schoolboys and has been named in the second-string Knights performance squad for the first time. He is also on the shortlist for the Super League young player of the year award and won the Yorkshire Evening Post Shooting Star honour this season. “Playing for the Knights is a goal I set at the beginning of the year,” he said. “I have made the first step, being selected in the performance squad, and, hopefully, I have impressed the coaching staff enough to get in the team to play against Jamaica at Headingley. “I will have a week off and then I’ll be back into training, preparing for that game.” Rhinos’ Ash Handley, Mikolaj Oledzki, Cameron Smith, Liam Sutcliffe and Jack Walker are also in Knights contention and club-mate Ashton Golding is likely to play for Jamaica. “It should be a good occasion and, hopefully, we get a good crowd at Headingley,” Newman said. “It is going to be a historic fixture, the first time ever and I am really excited. “They will be a tough team to play against with some Super League players in there and playing against the likes of Ashton – we know how much of a competitor he is – so I am really looking forward to it.” Rhinos finished eighth in Betfred Super League following the win over Warrington. They turned things around after Richard Agar took over as coach in May. But Newman reckons a big pre-season will be vital for their chances of climbing the table in 2020. He said: “Everyone’s ready for the off-season now. It has been a tough year for everyone, but we have managed to stay up which is massive for the club. “We have made a massive improvement since Rich has come in. “I think we’d be fourth if the league began then and that speaks for itself. He has made a massive difference to the group, we have changed as a group and we are working harder together. “You can see that on the pitch, beating Warrington 26-4. “The hard work we’ve been putting in has paid off and now we can rest up and get ready for pre-season. “Pre-season will be massive and I reckon we will be back next year, challenging for the top-five and, you never know, come the end of the season.” The Shooting Star award was voted for by Evening Post readers and Newman joins some of the greats of the summer era on the roll of honour. “I was very pleased with that; it shows how much I have come on this year,” he said. “At the start of the year I would never have imagined playing the amount of games I did.” The 19-year-old began the season as third-choice centre, but his form caused captain Kallum Watkins to switch to the second-row before leaving the club in June. Newman’s next target is to earn the number three jersey for next year. He said: “We will have to see. “That’s obviously an aim of mine, to get a starting shirt. It would be nice after the season I have had and to go into next season full of confidence and ready to go again.”
