Hull KR v Leeds Rhinos latest team news & 21-man squads as Brad Arthur issues 'won't get back in' warning

Going into Betfred Super League round 17, only two of Rhinos’ top-20 players are on the casualty list. Coach Brad Arthur has confirmed forward James Bentley is set to return from a one-match layoff, which means at least one of the team who beat Leigh nine days ago will step aside.

In addition, Matt Frawley is on loan at Huddersfield Giants after falling down the scrum-half pecking order and hooker Andy Ackers has not played in the three Super League games since he was passed fit following a long-term hamstring injury. Some good players are missing out, but Arthur insisted how they react is crucial to what happens over the next 11 games.

“They have no control over team selection,” Arthur said of the players out of the side. “There’s only one person who has and that’s me. What they have control over is their response, what they do about it, how they train, how they carry themselves and any opportunity they get to play in reserves, how they do there.

“You just don’t know what’s around the corner. If we get an injury and you’re not doing the right things at training or you haven’t got the right team mentality, it could work against you when I sit down to look at a replacement. If you’re not doing the right things, you haven’t been part of the team and you’re kicking stones, I certainly won’t be putting you back in the team.”

With most of his troops fit and available and the team in good form, having won nine of their last 12 games, Arthur admitted selecting a 17 “has been hard every week”. But he insisted: “That’s what I get paid to do. I am grateful for the staff that have given me that headache of having a lot of blokes to choose from, but I am also grateful to the players that they are playing well each week.

“That puts pressure on each other and means we have healthy competition. The teams going well and at the top are the ones that have a good healthy roster and competition for spots.”

The two senior players ruled out of today’s first versus third clash through injury are winger Maika Sivo and second-row Morgan Gannon. Sivo is recovering in Australia following knee surgery which will keep him out of the entire campaign and Gannon remains sidelined with ankle damage. He missed last weekend’s win against Leigh Leopards and is set for another three matches out of the side following today.

The Robins are also close to full-strength with prop Jared Waera-Hargreaves (calf muscle injury) and Leeds-born hooker Michael McIlorum (biceps) both in contention for the first time since last month’s Challenge Cup final win against Warrington Wolves.

Hull KR: from Davies, Hiku, Burgess, Lewis, May, Sue, Litten, Waera-Hargreaves, Hadley, Minchella, McIlorum, Luckley, Whitbread, Martin, Broadbent, Tanginoa, Brown, Leyland, Horne, Mourgue, Booth.

Leeds Rhinos: from Miller, Newman, Handley, Hall, Croft, Oledzki, Ackers, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell, C Smith, O'Connor, Lisone, Jenkins, Connor, Holroyd, Sinfield, Edgell, Lumb, Watkins, Cassell.

Referee: Chris Kendall. Kick-off: Sunday, 3pm.