'He's a great kid' - Leeds Rhinos forward James Donaldson predicts big future for prospect Levi Edwards

Donaldson’s target this year is to secure a new Rhinos contract, but the former Bradford Bulls and Hull KR man has also taken one of the club’s most exciting young prospects under his wing.

Teenagers Morgan Gannon and Levi Edwards have both joined the senior squad this year, after having had a brief taste of full-time training in 2020.

Donaldson has been working closely with Edwards, a second-rower who joined Leeds from the Siddal community club and was 18th man - as a 16-year-old - for several games at the end of last season.

“He is an absolutely great kid,” Donaldson said of the teenage prospect. “His manners are the best I’ve seen from a young kid like that.

“I am picking him up for training at the moment and trying to mentor him a little bit and trying to get him on the right path.

“He only turned 17 a few weeks ago and I had the same when I was a young kid [at Bradford Bulls].

“I had Glenn Morrison and Joe Vagana looking after me and they got some good habits into me which have stuck with me my whole career.

“I am trying to get them into Levi, just little things like making sure you are ready for training, you’ve got the right things, you are prepared, you’ve got your food for the day...

“He has got a massive future ahead of him and, hopefully, I can keep helping him along his way.”

Edwards and Gannon have both stepped up straight from Rhinos’ scholarship into the first-team group, without playing in the academy first.

“It is a great opportunity for him,” Donaldson added. “I have told him, he is in a privileged position and not many people get the opportunity to do what he has done.”

Donaldson, who is originally from Whitehaven, knows what the youngsters are facing, having done it himself at the start of his career. Now 29, he recalled: “I did the same thing. I moved away from home to play for Bradford and was in the first team at 16 so I kind of know what he is going through.

“There might be times when he is frustrated and things like that and, hopefully, I can help him and guide him and try and make him a better player.”

Donaldson joined Leeds, initially as a trialist, in December, 2018 and signed a one-year contract the following month.

He penned a two-year deal in September, 2019 and will be out of contract at the end of the forthcoming campaign.

“I think it is time to step it up a bit more this year,” he said of his aims for 2021.

“I am comfortable around the team and I am trying my best to push the standards of the team and try and become a bit more of a leader in the team as well.

“I definitely want to look forward to trying to push my body that bit more to get more out of it for the team and carry on trying to bring energy to the side.

“Obviously it is the last year of my contract as well and my goal now is to sign for Leeds Rhinos again.

“That will be at the forefront of my mind throughout the season.

“I’ll just do what I do, keep being me and, hopefully, it will put me in good stead.”

Donaldson feels he is still developing and improving as a player.

“I am getting older and I do think I am pushing my best rugby,” he said. “I am a lot calmer and a lot more calculated than I was in previous years.

“It’s about not trying too hard and knowing when to do things at the right time.

“My skills have come on a lot in the last few years and, with the confidence Rich [Agar, Rhinos’ coach] gives me and the values I bring to the team, I want to do that a lot more this year.”

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