Leeds Rhinos coach Rohan Smith explains Levi Edwards departure and gives James Bentley update

The 19-year-old centre was a member of Rhinos’ full-time squad and played in three of their four first team trial games, but joined York, who play in the second-tier Betfred Championship, this week on a three-year contract.

Edwards, who had a spell on loan at York last season, was described by previous coach Richard Agar as a “generational talent” when he joined the senior squad two years ago, but left without making his senior debut.

Smith said: “Levi and I had a conversation. York had made an inquiry about having him back there on loan.

“We gave Levi an opportunity to have a chat to York and see if that fit for him, then there was a conversation between the clubs about a permanent deal and it worked out best for Levi.

“He had had a steady pre-season, he has done okay, but we also feel like there’s a series of guys in front of him in his position so he saw the opportunity of going to York as the best way forward.”

Smith added: “That’s the best way for some players, to go and play Championship and become hardened, then find your way back to Super League.

“You don’t have to be a great academy player and jump straight into Super League and everything’s happy ever after.

“I think there’s a process for most players, whether it be through reserves or loan or dual-reg. I think Levi will end up back in Super League and I wish him well.”

Several of Rhinos’ off-season signings have followed a similar path. Leon Ruan, Luke Hooley and Luis Roberts all dropped into the lower divisions from Super League clubs before being snapped up by Leeds.

“Luke is someone I met back in my time at Bradford,” Smith said. “He has been around the block a little bit, but he is now seasoned and ready to have a proper crack at Super League, whereas he probably wasn’t when he was 18 or 19. There’s many players who’ve had to go through that path.”

Pre-season is over for Rhinos, who are now into preparations for Thursday’s Betfred Super League opener at Warrington Wolves.

Assessing the past few months, Smith said: “I am used to starting pre-season in the first week of November in Australia and you don’t start playing until March.

“This one has been quite short, if anything, for me personally and for a lot of our players. Some of the experienced guys didn’t come back in until Christmas and one or two didn’t really start until the new year.

“For those guys it hasn’t been long. For some of the young kids at the bottom end of the roster, they started the first week in November and they’ve been grinding hard for a period of time.

“I think playing four games makes it feel like a long pre-season, but we’ve divided up game time and given people an opportunity to get fit, practice in different positions and also get some good training done around it.”

Smith said that has been an important part of his pre-season strategy. He noted: “If you don’t play a full game it means you pull up better, so then you can train harder during the week.

“You are not overloading anyone and we have come through the trial period well. There’s a few injuries from last season still outstanding and James Bentley picked up one injury through the pre-season. He won’t quite make the start of the season, but other than that we are shaping up okay.”