Here’s a look at how Leeds Rhinos could line up in five years’ time – Peter Smith

Rhinos have been in transition since their treble-winning campaign in 2015 when Kevin Sinfield, Jamie Peacock and Kylie Leuluai all bowed out.

As this season started – it feels like about six years ago – only three members of their full-time squad were aged 30 or older, though three more have since passed that milestone.

Overall, though, it is a young squad and – having shown how good they can be in four of their opening five games this term – likely to get better.

So what might Rhinos’ squad look like in five years’ time?

Full-back: Jack Walker

Walker will be only 25 midway through the decade and if Rhinos can keep him, he is set to be at the heart of their backline.

The talented youngster has already won a Grand Final and, though injuries have been an issue, he looks like a future Test star.

Wings: Ash Handley and Liam Tindall

Handley, who can also play at centre, is in his seventh season in Rhinos’ senior squad and is still only 24.

Joint-second top try scorer in Betfred Super League last year, he is big, pacy and a quality finisher and hasn’t yet reached his peak.

East Leeds product Tindall is 6ft tall, has plenty of power and knows his way to the line.

Already in the England academy squad, the 18-year-old will be knocking on the door if he maintains his rate of progress.

Centres: Harry Newman and Alex Sutcliffe

Newman was called into the England squad before Covid-19 struck and, at 20, is one of the hottest properties in the game.

NRL clubs are, allegedly, already showing an interest, but he will be a go-to player for as long as Rhinos can hold on to him.

Twenty one-year-old Sutcliffe, who can also play in the second-row, was excellent for Featherstone on dual-registration duty last year – scoring 16 ties in 19 games – and looks ready to step up at Rhinos.

Stand-off: Jai Field

Rhinos are keeping a close eye on the Aussie utility-back who will spend 2020 with Parramatta Eels.

Coach Richard Agar has made no secret of the fact he is keen on the pacy 22-year-old former St George player and if room is found on the salary cap and quota he could well become a Leeds player within the next couple of years.

Scrum-half: Callum McLelland

Rhinos have not rushed the 20-year-old play-maker, but he has already had a taste of first-team action and will get more this year if there is an end of season fixture pile-up.

He has all the skills and proved, with Featherstone last year, he can handle himself and control a game at a good standard.

Props: Mikolaj Oledzki and Thomas Holroyd

Oledzki, 21, already has 52 first-team appearances under his belt for Rhinos and is an England Knights international.

A late starter in rugby league, his skills are improving and he has all the physical attributes.

Holroyd, 19, has played four times off the bench for Leeds and is very highly-rated by the coaching staff.

Hooker: Kruise Leeming

Cory Johnson was expected to be Rhinos’ acting-half for the next decade, but gave up the game, aged just 19, earlier this season.

Former Huddersfield Giants man Leeming has yet to make his debut, after suffering a knee injury at Christmas, but is 24 so has time on his side.

Second-rows: Alex Mellor and Sam Walters

Mellor, 25, has shown some good signs since joining Leeds from Huddersfield in the off-season and should be near his peak in five years’ time.

Big things are expected of 19-year-old England academy prospect Walters, signed from Widnes Vikings, who was Leeds’ under-18s player of the year in 2019.

Loose-forward: Cameron Smith

A hot prospect as a teenager, Smith, 21, is a ball-handling 13 and with outstanding ability and a rugby brain.

He recently signed a new contract and will be in Test contention within the next five years.

Substitutes:

The likes of Stevie Ward, 26, Rhyse Martin, 27, Liam Sutcliffe, 25 and Luke Briscoe, 25, will still have plenty of rugby left in them by 2025 and will be in or around the 17 if they remain at the club.

Coming through, centres Jack Broadbent, 19 and Corey Hall, 17, could have staked a claim, along with prop Muizz Mustapha, 20 and 19-year-old back-rower Jarrod O’Connor, while Joe Gibbons is someone to watch out for in the current academy squad.

Forwards Morgan Gannon and Levi Edwards are still on Leeds’ under-16 scholarship, but both have huge potential and could be knocking on the first-team door in five years’ time.

There will be room for experienced signings from Super League and abroad, but if Leeds’ young talent make the grade the club will be back challenging for top honours.