Leeds Rhinos boss Rohan Smith 'wants to keep' Sam Walters and Liam Tindall, confirms Jack Sinfield status

Smith confirmed Rhinos are keen to keep winger Liam Tindall and forward Sam Walters and says teenage half-back Jack Sinfield is under contract for next year.

All three have been named in Rhinos’ initial 21-man squad for Friday’s visit of Salford Red Devils, but both Tindall and Walters are out of contract at the end of this season.

Some reports have suggested Sinfield is also in the final year of his deal, but speaking at his weekly preview press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Smith stressed: “Jack is under contract for next year.”

He said: “The other guys, Sam and Liam, are guys we’d like to keep and we are working through that process to keep them.

“We feel they are players we feel can develop with our group. There’s a core of English players in our group who are growing and developing and more to come. Those guys, hopefully, will be part of that process moving forward.”

Sinfield is yet to make a senior appearance this year. Walters, a Grand Finalist in 2022, has played three times and Tindall could feature for the third successive game this week.

Smith said: “Sam has played some games this year and done a good job for us. Liam has come on and had an impact, done a really good job and moved himself up the pecking order a bit in the last little while.

“They’ve done well when called upon. They are developing, even though they’re not playing every week.

“They’re in a club they love, we hope they’ll stay and I’m sure they’ll be doing everything they can to stay as well.”

A potentially long-term injury to scrum-half Aidan Sezer could give Sinfield an opportunity over the next few weeks and Smith said the teenager will feature “when the time’s right”.

He was pulled out of the Lancashire squad for last weekend’s academy Origin game and Smith said: “We’ve been practising with Sinny there, but also with Richie Myler in the halves and Ash Handley at full-back. We feel like we have some options there to cover as needed.”

He added: “Jack has performed well through pre-season and really grown. He’s still a young lad, but has played well in academy and reserves fixtures and training well. I look forward to the opportunity when that’s right.”