Dave Furner era gets under way with new-look Leeds Rhinos line-up at Warrington
THE DAVE Furner era at Leeds Rhinos will begin tomorrow with a very different team on show to the one which ended last season.
Only nine of Rhinos’ 19-man squad for the Betfred Super League opener at Warrington Wolves played in the final game of last season, a shock 17-16 home defeat by Championship outfit Toronto Wolfpack on September 28.
Three of the team on duty that night – Jimmy Keinhorst, Joel Moon and Jordan Thompson – have left the club, one – Dom Crosby – is injured and Ashton Golding, Luke Briscoe, Nathaniel Peteru and Anthony Mullally are not selected.
The survivors are Tom Briscoe, Liam Sutcliffe, Richie Myler, Matt Parcell, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Brett Ferres, Adam Cuthbertson, Brad Dwyer and Cameron Smith.
They are joined by four of Rhinos’ five new signings with Konrad Hurrell, Tui Lolohea, Trent Merrin and James Donaldson all in contention to make their debut.
Captain Kallum Watkins and winger Ash Handley are available after finishing last year on the casualty list and Mikolaj Oledzki is also in contention. Carl Ablett is not yet fit after ankle surgery.
Warrington coach Steve Price has named new faces Blake Austin (from Canberra Raiders), Jason Clark (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Jake Mamo (Huddersfield Giants), Lama Tasi (Salford Red Devils) and Danny Walker (Widnes Vikings) in their 19.
They are without half-back Kevin Brown who suffered an Achilles injury in training last week and could miss the entire season.
Leeds Rhinos: from Walker, T Briscoe, Watkins, Hurrell, Handley, Lolohea, Myler, Cuthbertson, Parcell, Singleton, Merrin, Ward, Dwyer, Sutcliffe, Ferres, Oledzki, Jones-Buchanan, Smith, Donaldson.
Warrington Wolves: form Atkins, Austin, Charnley, D Clark, J Clark, Cooper, Goodwin, Hill, Hughes, King, Lineham, Mamo, Murdoch-Masila, Patton, Philbin, Ratchford, Tasi, D Walker, Westwood.
Referee: Chris Kendall (Huddersfield).
Kick-off: Tomorrow, 5.15pm.