'I’d like a sustained run': Leeds Rhinos' Corey Johnson 'feeling great' and ready for Super League chance

With Brad Dwyer now at Hull FC and fellow hooker Kruise Leeming on his way out, Johnson has moved up two places in Rhinos’ pecking order since the end of last season.

When Leeming’s departure to Gold Coast Titans is confirmed, Johnson, 22 and 21-year-old Jarrod O’Connor will be left as the only number nines in Rhinos’ senior squad.

Johnson has had occasional opportunities in the past, but the latest development coincides with his return to full fitness and could give him a first real chance to show what he can do on a consistent basis.

“I feel like I am finally in shape where I can play my own rugby, but in terms of what’s going on with Kruise, it is what it is,” Johnson said.

“I just need to keep training how I am and take my opportunity as and when. If I get the opportunity to play I’d hope I perform well enough to hold my own and keep whatever position it is within the team.”

Johnson - who is in the initial squad for Saturday’s visit of Catalans Dragons - added: “I’ve never really had a run at nine, playing in Super League.

“It has always been here and there and I’ve played a bit at half as well, so I’d like to have a sustained run and regular Super League game time.”

Back surgery last autumn delayed Johnson’s start to the 2023 campaign, but he is now two games into his comeback and stressed: “I’m feeling great.

“It has been a long time, but I am just happy to be back on the pitch and getting some minutes.

“I’d had some disc issues for a couple of years. The pre-season before, I had an epidural but it didn’t really fix anything so we decided surgery was the best option to go with.

“I had it just after the Grand Final, last September, so it has been a fair few months. Last year I was playing with that issue and a couple of knocks so I felt like I couldn’t really get going, but - fingers crossed - this year I’ll hopefully get some opportunity.”

After 40 minutes for the reserves three weeks ago, Johnson featured for Bradford Bulls on dual-registration when they beat Sheffield Eagles at Odsal last Sunday.

“We got the win and it felt good to get some competitive minutes under my belt,” he said.

He was also 18th man for Rhinos’ senior side at Castleford Tigers last week. A new law allows teams to nominate an extra substitute, to be used only if three or more players fail a head injury assessment during the game.

Hull KR became the first club to field 18 players in a Betfred Super League match when Will Dagger got on against Catalans last weekend following a spate of concussions.

“It’s weird,” Johnson said of 18th man duties. “It is more of a preparation thing, it is probably more beneficial than not because I am still preparing as I would to play.

“It is just getting into that routine so when I do get an opportunity I know what to expect.”

Johnson accepts he is second-choice for the number nine spot at Leeds, behind O’Connor who made a successful conversion from loose-forward last season.

Johnson said: “Jarrod has been killing it. He started playing regularly at the end of last year and he has carried that over to this season.

“We do a lot of work together in training, as well as with young Bailey Aldridge who trains full-time.”

Johnson made his Leeds debut off the bench in the final game of the 2019 season, but then had some time out of the sport before returning to the club midway through 2021.

He made one substitute appearance that year and featured five times last term, three of those in the starting lineup.

“I’m really enjoying it,” he said of this season. “I am at uni’ as well, so I have got something I can focus on away from rugby as well.

“I am doing science of sport performance at Leeds Beckett, finishing my second year this year.

“I’d like, after my career, to maybe head into the field of S and C (strength and conditioning) so it is something I am massively interested in.”