Hunslet sign teenage prospect Ben Markland from Leeds Rhinos academy

Eighteen-year-old winger Ben Markland has vowed to prove his former club Leeds Rhinos wrong after joining Hunslet on a one-year contract.
By Peter Smith
Published 3rd Jan 2020, 15:48 BST
Updated 3rd Jan 2020, 18:18 BST
Ben Markland scores for Leeds Rhinos in a pre-season game at Featherstone Rovers last year. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.Ben Markland scores for Leeds Rhinos in a pre-season game at Featherstone Rovers last year. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Ben Markland scores for Leeds Rhinos in a pre-season game at Featherstone Rovers last year. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.

Markland played for Leeds against Hunslet last pre-season and is hoping the situation is reversed in the Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Trophy tie on Friday, January 31.

He is set to make his first appearance when the Parksiders begin their pre-season campaign at home to Bradford Bulls on Sunday and said: “I’m also hoping to be selected for the Leeds match.

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"To be honest, I’d never seen myself leaving the Rhinos; I’d envisaged working my way through to the first team so I’m determined to prove Leeds wrong.”

The Dewsbury Moor product, who scored nine tries in 17 games for Rhinos' academy last year, added: “I’m really looking forward to turning out against the Bulls - that’s something all Leeds lads enjoy..

"It will be good for all of us to get a first game under our belts after a long pre-season.

“Training’s great and it has gone well, but it’s important to work on combinations in actual matches, so it’s good we’ve got three pre-season fixtures in place."

Coach Gary Thornton has high hopes for his latest recruit.

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“I was surprised when I heard of Ben’s availability as I know he was highly regarded at Leeds," he said.

“We have had to fight off a number of clubs chasing his signature, so I am delighted to have signed him.

"Ben is a young outside-back who is equally comfortable on the wing or at centre and he has terrific speed and agility.

"He has had a fantastic junior career and is now ready to step up to League One."

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He went on: "He has been terrific in pre-season with his enthusiasm and energy and impressed everyone with his pace, agility and his confidence to take players on one on on

"I think Ben will make a big impact this season if he can fulfil his undoubted potential.”

Of Sunday's game, Thornton said: “We’ve got a lot of new faces and young, enthusiastic lads and I think it will be good to get a game under our belts now.

“We’ll see how effective the work we’ve been doing in pre-season is and what we need to work on.

“We have focused pretty heavily on fitness work.

“We’ve not done an awful lot of structure, but it’ll be good to see how the players have benefited from that.

“I don’t think the result is important, but the performance is.”

Related topics:Gary ThorntonLeedsHunsletRhinosBradford Bulls