Leeds Rhinos' Chris Hankinson drops hint over new deal, talks nightmare journey and ending try drought

Wigan-born Hankinson, 32, joined Rhinos from Salford Red Devils last August on a deal until the end of the campaign. He penned a new one-year contract in pre-season and that includes an option for 2027.

He told The Yorkshire Evening Post: “I am pretty certain I will be here next year, but we’ll see where we go. I love it here. I am really enjoying my time and - hopefully - long may it continue.”

Hankinson signed for Leeds as an outside-back, but has started their last six matches in the pack. “I am trying to hold that spot and do my best at that and keep improving every week,” he added. “BA [coach Brad Arthur] has put a lot of trust and confidence in me there.”

Hankinson began Friday’s 52-0 rout of Huddersfield Giants in the second-row, switched to centre when Ash Handley went off and scored the last of Rhinos’ nine tries. It was a big 80-minute effort from the former Featherstone Rovers man who had an anxious journey to AMT Headingley. A serious accident on the M62 led to huge tailbacks and with Hankinson and referee Jack Smith among those stuck in the jams, kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes to 8.15pm.

“I set off just before 4pm, like I normally do,” Hankinson explained. “I get here pretty handily normally, but this one was a bit different. I got stuck as soon as I got to Rochdale. It was down to one lane so I was sat in the car for just short of four hours. BA, Cookie [team manager Matt Cook] and Bleasey [sporting director Ian Blease] were ringing me and saying ‘don’t stress’. But they were ringing me every four minutes and making me stressed!

“The time when I was going to get here was going up and up and didn’t know whether they were going to have to start me on the bench and lose a sub because the team had already been put out, but they just said ‘get here when you can, don’t worry about it’ and it worked out in the end.

“I think the refs were behind me and a few Huddersfield players and once it finally opened up a bit it was straightforward. I arrived at about 20 to eight and I was looked after. I got out of my car and Marlon [Billy, Rhinos’ head of player welfare] went and parked it for me. I was like ‘I might have to do this every week’.”

After all that, Hankinson was delighted to get over the whitewash for the second time this season as Rhinos returned to the top of Betfred Super League. “It has been a while since I’ve scored,” he reflected. “I was in a bit of a dry spell so I was definitely after one. It

as a great ball by Fergie, so thanks to him.”

Fergus McCormack made his Super League debut - and first start for Leeds - in place of suspended full-back Lachie Miller. Hankinson was impressed, though not surprised, by the way the 20-year-old adapted to elite-level rugby.

He said: “He is a problem with the ball when he’s running around and he is the same at training so I am glad he got his opportunity. Everyone’s absolutely made up for him. We made sure he started the song [after the game] and hopefully he gets a nice run of games now.”

The win against Huddersfield was the third time Leeds have scored more than 50 points this term and their first clean sheet since a 26-0 win at Giants last August. Hankinson said: “The zero was a big thing for us. Keeping a team to zero is a massive achievement and we are really happy with that.

“We don’t like to say it during a game because we don’t want to put too much of an emphasis on it. If we just control what we can control, everything works off the back of it. There were times in the game when we could have been a bit more composed, we gave up some cheap errors, but I thought our reaction to those moments and defence on our line was pretty good.”