Late starter Mekhi Bridgeman-Reaney could make history for Leeds Rhinos

CENTRE/WINGER Mekhi Bridgeman-Reaney is poised to make history for Leeds Rhinos this weekend.
Leeds Rhinos' Mekhi Bridgeman-Reaney. Picture: Phil Daly/Leeds Rhinos.Leeds Rhinos' Mekhi Bridgeman-Reaney. Picture: Phil Daly/Leeds Rhinos.
Leeds Rhinos' Mekhi Bridgeman-Reaney. Picture: Phil Daly/Leeds Rhinos.

Bridgeman-Reaney was the first new signing for Rhinos’ reserves side and will make his debut against Bradford Bulls on Saturday.

In an unique move, he has joined the club from Leeds City College’s development squad, which is run in partnership with Rhinos’ foundation.

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Bridgeman-Rooney’s father, Derek, was a founder player with Sheffield Eagles when that club was formed by Gary Hetherington, now Rhinos’ chief executive, in 1984.

Leeds Rhinos Reserves head coach Chev Walker. 
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.Leeds Rhinos Reserves head coach Chev Walker. 
Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Leeds Rhinos Reserves head coach Chev Walker. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.

Reserves coach Chev Walker said: “Mekhi was late to the game, he played football at a decent level up until 14 or 15 and then played two or three years at Milford and Stanningley.

“He has done well, he is a good player, promising.”

Walker predicted the reserves will be a step up from what Bridgeman-Reaney is used to, but insisted: “In training he doesn’t look out of place.

“He has got nice balance and he is pretty quick.

“It’s just the little bits of detail he needs, coaching-wise, but, other than that, he has fitted in seamlessly.”

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Rhinos’ reserves were due to begin their season against Newcastle Thunder last week, but the game was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

Rhinos’ squad is made up of some signed-on reserve-grade players, members of their under-18s academy set-up and additions from other clubs on dual-registration.

Featherstone Rovers’ Tom Holmes and Kyle Trout are included in Rhinos’ line-up for Saturday’s game – which will be played at Horsfall Stadium with a 3pm kick-off – along with their ex-academy players Rian Rowley (Hunslet) and Oli Burton (Batley), plus Hunslet’s Charley Bodman.

Full-time squad members Jack Broadbent, Corey Johnson, Max Simpson, Levi Edwards and Jack Sinfield will also feature.

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Rhinos’ reserves squad for Saturday is: Bailey Aldridge, Charley Bodman (Hunslet), Mekhi Bridgeman-Reaney, Jack Broadbent, Oli Burton (Batley), Alfie Edgell, Levi Edwards, Jake Higgins, Joe Hird, Tom Holmes (Featherstone), Corey Johnson, Loui McConnell (Featherstone), Kai Morgan, Rian Rowley (Hunslet), Daniel Salkeld, Max Simpson, Jack Sinfield, Jack Smith, Kyle Trout (Featherstone), Mackenzie Turner.

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