Leeds Rhinos coach Rohan Smith reveals 'frustrating' new injury setback, says when key players could return

Smith confirmed second-rower James Bentley will not be available for Sunday’s pre-season game at Bradford Bulls. He said prop Tom Holroyd and second-rower Morgan Gannon will also miss the trip to Odsal and centre Max Simpson remains on the long-term casualty list. Prop Sam Lisone had already been ruled out of the round one visit of Salford Red Devils, on Friday, February 16, following surgery on a thumb.

The coach said last week he was hopeful Bentley, who has not played since suffering concussion last August, would feature against Bradford or in Rhinos’ final warm-up game, at home to Hull KR seven days later. Speaking today (Thursday), Smith said: “He won’t be playing [this weekend].

“He had a mild ankle injury at the start of January, which he has attended to. Now he has got a mild shoulder niggle. If it was a competition game he would be 50-50, but for a friendly he is definitely not playing.”

In terms of the concussion, Smith confirmed Bentley is “totally fine”. He added: “That’s why it is frustrating. He has been training really hard, he is probably in the best shape of his life overall. That’s the frustrating thing for him, but it is a long season.”

Holroyd is still recovering from knee surgery and Gannon, who failed a head injury assessment during Rhinos’ Christmas win over Wakefield Trinity, also won’t feature this weekend. Smith said: “Morgan is fine, he has been since Boxing Day evening. We are just building him up; he won’t play this weekend, but he is getting a bunch of practice work in and a bunch of gym work with a view to seeing where he’s at next week.”

New signing from Castleford Tigers Kieran Hudson could make his first appearance for Leeds in the Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Trophy tie at Hunslet next Friday (February 2). The front-rower missed the entire 2023 season because of an Achilles injury and Smith said: “He has been in and out of full team training with a couple of niggles, which is common on the back of a long-term injury. He is a project player, he was never likely to be playing in round one so there’s no major issues. He’ll play when he’s ready and he may get a hit out next week against Hunslet.”

Simpson, a 19-year-old centre, has also been sidelined since last pre-season, after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament (acl). “There’s no time frame on Max, but he won’t play in the next month,” Smith said. “Those injuries are all different, depending on the time of year you do it, your age and whether there’s any complications during the rehab process.

“We are taking a very long-term view with Max. We think he will be a career Rhinos Super League player so we’re taking a conservative approach. He has trained really well, he’s in good condition, but most surgeons and most research will tell you the longer you go until you return to play the better off you are. We are taking that approach with Max.”