Leeds Rhinos coach Richard Agar impressed by Morgan Gannon as teenage forward continues Super League run

The teenage forward scored his first Betfred Super League try in Rhinos’ 60-6 win at Castleford Tigers last weekend.

It was his third successive appearance and fifth this year, all off the substitutes’ bench.

A product of the Siddal amateur club in Halifax, Gannon moved straight from Rhinos’ scholarship into the first team squad and has been in full-time training since the start of pre-season.

In only limited game time so far, the youngster has shown huge promise and Agar was delighted to see him touch down for the first time.

“You could see how pleased he was to get that and I think his teammates were equally pleased for him,” Agar said.

“He is a kid who, despite being 17 years old, has soon garnered the respect of some very strong and good senior players.

“He has done that through his actions, how he conducts himself and his humility.

“He has looked good when he has got his chance in first grade; people will talk about his try, but defensively he is very strong.

“He rips on to the ball incredibly hard for a 17-year-old, he knows his role and he is a very impressive young man and good talent.”

Meanwhile, Agar has compared Rhinos’ pocket picker Matt Prior to Gavin Clinch, a former Halifax teammate of Gannon’s father Jim.

Clinch was famed for his ability to rip the ball from opponents’ grasp, a move which has been brought back into play by a rule change this season.

One-on-one ball steals are now allowed if other defenders have dropped off the tackle and Prior has become a master of the art.

Agar said: “Unfortunately, our guys couldn’t remember Gavin Clinch - we were talking [after Friday’s game] about Clinch the Pinch.

“I am not a big fan of the rule, I don’t think it gives too much to the game and I think it makes it messy - and we have been a fair beneficiary of it.

“We’ve got a lot of ball steals this year and Matty has been exceptionally good at it.”

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