Inside Ethan Clark-Wood's Leeds Rhinos move: 'good footy' vow and how deal was done in just a week

The Australian joined Rhinos on a one-year deal in February - six days before the season began - and made his debut in last Saturday’s 11-0 defeat at Catalans Dragons. That was his first appearance at the top level in either hemisphere and he revealed: “This season I just want to learn from my experiences, get a few games under my belt and hopefully they like what they see, because I love it here and obviously I’d want to stay. They gave me an opportunity and I want to pay that back. The end goal is to play some good footy, some consistent footy and then see what happens after that.”

Clark-Wood trained with NRL club Gold Coast Titans during pre-season and was expecting to spend this year playing Queensland Cup rugby for Tweed Seagulls. However, Rhinos came calling after winger Maika Sivo suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Ash Handley’s testimonial game against Wigan Warriors on January 26.

Sivo will miss the entire 2025 campaign, but is not on Rhinos’ salary cap because he hasn’t played a competitive game. Leeds also received dispensation for another player to take his place on the overseas quota, for this season only.

With home-grown three-quarters Max Simpson and Ned McCormack also on the long-term casualty list, coach Brad Arthur was keen to add more competition in the outside-backs and Clark-Wood was a player who had been on his radar during his time in charge of Parramatta Eels. Clark-Wood explained: “At the start of the week I was talking to BA [Arthur], we had a few chats, he asked me a few questions.

“That was on the Monday, on Wednesday it slowly got into motion and that Thursday was when they said ‘it’s happening, you’re coming over’. On the Sunday I got on the plane and flew over, so it all happened within a week. It was a big turnaround and I got over here, straight into it.”

Clark-Wood regards the move to Europe as a “great opportunity”, adding: “I have watched a few Super League games back home on TV and thought one day I’d eventually want to head over and play Super League. I am grateful for the opportunity and happy to come here, to a great club like Leeds.”

Though he played for Rhinos’ reserves in a warm-up game against Hull FC, the Catalans match was Clark-Wood’s first competitive rugby since last August. “It was pretty physical,” he said of his initial taste of Super League. “It was a good experience, it was good to get out there with the lads and rip in a bit and I enjoyed every moment of it.”

Clark-Wood was one of Rhinos’ better players in a disappointing performance and, speaking in his post-match press conference, Arthur felt his latest recruit “did a pretty good job”. The 24-year-old was beaten to a kick which led to the hosts’ second try, but insisted: “That happens, I’ve just got to learn from those mistakes and keep pushing on.”