'He's flying in training': boost for Leeds Rhinos as Mikolaj Oledzki nears return - plus full injury update

Oledzki has not played since England’s World Cup win over France last October, but is now back in training following shoulder surgery and looking good, according to coach Rohan Smith.

Rhinos’ initial 21-man squad to face Catalans Dragons at Headingley on Saturday will be named on Thursday, but Smith confirmed Oledzki won’t be included.

As previously reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post, the Polish-born prop has been pencilled in to feature away to Hull KR on Friday, March 31,

Speaking at his weekly pre-match press conference today (Tuesday), Smith said Oledzki is close to getting the green light, but will not be rushed.

“Not this week,” he said of when the front-rower could feature. “He could be the week after, or the week after that.”

Oledzki was hurt in Rhinos’ play-off win at Catalans last September, but featured in the semi-final and Grand Final and was part of England’s World Cup campaign before having an operation to fix the damage.

Smith added. “[He played] for England and then his shoulder got a little bit worse rather than better during that period and he needed the surgery.

“As soon as he had the surgery we knew he was going to miss the start of the season. It is what it is, but Mik is flying in training.

“He looks in really good condition, big and strong. He is getting a lot of team training done now so it's just a matter of getting a bit more work through him and giving him one last check and he'll be away. “

Rhinos will line up against Catalans without second-rower James Bentley, who was handed a one-match ban for a grade B late hit on Castleford Tigers half-back Jacob Miller in last Thursday’s defeat at the Jungle.

Leeds have accepted the punishment, which will be Bentley’s fourth suspension since his Rhinos debut in February last year.

Smith reflected: “It all happened really quickly, there was maybe 20-25 hundredths of a second from the time it left Miller’s hands to when he made contact.

“I think James is actually trying to tackle [Adam] Milner, but he just couldn’t stop in time. The game has gone strong on protecting the ball players, particularly the half-backs and we’ve got to understand if you tackle someone after they’ve passed - or bump into them after they’ve passed - you run some risks.

“I think on this occasion it was one of those things that happen in a contact sport, there wasn’t any real intent, in my opinion.”

Bentley’s previous ban was last May and Smith insisted: “I think he has been in really good control of himself.

“Towards the back end of last year he was put in some really pressured situations and he played hard, but played fair.

“I don’t think this was [a case where] he lost himself for a moment, I think it’s one of those things that happen.

“We accept the charge and it’s his past [record] that’s caused him to miss a game. A grade B for most people this week is not a suspension, but his past is reflected in this punishment.”

Bentley was a substitute at Castleford, but Rhinos won’t be calling on Morgan Gannon to take his place in Saturday’s squad, Smith said.

The 19-year-old second-rower has not played since failing a head injury assessment against Hull four weeks ago.

He also suffered a concussion in the 2022 play-off win in France and Smith said: “He won’t be [involved] this week.

“He saw a specialist last week or the week before and he needs to go back to the specialist to check up again in a week or two.

“He hasn’t had any symptoms or issues, but given his age that’s the process the specialist has requested and that we are fully supportive of.”

Winger/centre Ash Handley is into the second week of his recovery from an ankle injury suffered in Rhinos’ win over Wakefield Trinity.

“It’s going well,” Smith reported. “He is a few weeks away at least, but he is progressing nicely. It’s something that will settle down and he’ll recover well from.”

Smith said there has been a bout of illness in the camp this week and some players are carrying bumps and bruises from last Thursday’s game. They will be assessed before the squad for Saturday is named.