Injury blow for Leeds Rhinos as squad to face Hull FC is named

Leeds Rhinos will be without key forward Ava Seumanufagai when they begin their Betfred Super League campaign at home to Hull on Sunday.
Ava Seumanufagai.Ava Seumanufagai.
Ava Seumanufagai.

Seumanufagai has missed out on a place in Rhinos’ initial 21-man squad after failing to recover from a knee injury suffered during the pre-season win at Wigan Warriors two weeks ago.

At the start of the week coach Richard Agar was hopeful the New Zealand-born prop - who joined Rhinos from Cronulla Sharks midway through last year - would be available, but his absence could hand an opportunity to highly-rated rookie Tom Holroyd.

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The 18-year-old England academy front-rower made three appearances early last season before being hit by a succession of injuries, but impressed in his comeback match against Wigan.

Tom Holroyd.Tom Holroyd.
Tom Holroyd.

New signings half-back Luke Gale, prop Matt Prior, second-row Alex Mellor and outside-back Rhys Evans are all in contention to make their competitive debut for Rhinos.

Players on the casualty list alongside Seumanufagai are knee injury victims winger Tom Briscoe, newly-signed hooker Kruise Leeming and prop Dom Crosby, plus centre/second-rower Alex Sutcliffe who suffered a broken hand during Leeds’ warm weather training camp in Spain.

Hull boss Lee Radford could give a debut to recruits Ligi Sao, Jordan Johnstone, Manu, Ma’u, Josh Jones, and Adam Swift.

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Mahe Fonua, who has rejoined Hull following a spell in the NRL, is also included in a powerful initial squad.

The visitors will be without long-serving hooker and club captain Danny Houghton who underwent surgery on a thumb during the off-season.

This year coaches will name 21-man squads - up from the previous 19 - two days ahead of a game, but will be fined one interchange for every player from outside that group who appears in the matchday 17.

Leeds Rhinos: from Walker, Newman, Hurrell, Handley, Lui, Gale, Prior, Mellor, Martin, Ward, Dwyer, L Sutcliffe, Myler, Cuthbertson, Oledzki, Evans, Smith, McLelland, L Briscoe, Donaldson, Holroyd.

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Hull: from Shaul, Faraimo, Tuimavave, Griffin, Swift, Connor, Sneyd, Taylor, Satae, Jones, Ma’u, Sao, Kelly, Johnstone, Fash, Lane, Bowden, Savelio, Fonua, Ellis, Naulago.

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).

Kick-off: Sunday, 4.45pm.