Leeds Rhinos first team player makes Championship loan move

York Knights' LNER Community Stadium. Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com.

Prop Tom Nicholson-Watton, who made his Rhinos Super League debut in the final game of 2023, will spend the rest of this season at York Knights. It is the 21-year-old’s second Championship loan spell after he made six appearances for York last year.

Nicholson-Watton was promoted into Rhinos’ full-time squad in pre-season and impressed in their warm-up matches. He has been included in Leeds’ initial 21-man squad several times this term, without making the matchday 17. He told the Yorkshire Evening Post before the campaign began he would be spending time on loan to gain first team experience.

“I'm really excited,” he said of his latest move. “This is a massive opportunity for me to get some consistent game-time under my belt at a great club like York. It's going to be great for my development and hopefully I can help the club out and we can have some success this year.

Tom Nicholson-Watton in pre-season action for Leeds Rhinos agianst Hull KR. Picture by Steve Riding.

“There's some great players and great coaches here who have got a vast amount of experience, which is only going to benefit my own game. Hopefully I can get some good game-time here and continue to develop my game.”

Knights coach Andrew Henderson described Nicholson-Watton as a “young, up-and-coming talent who has been on our radar for a while”. He said: “We are really fortunate Leeds have supported and facilitated this move. Given where Tom is at this stage in his development, getting regular game-time in the Betfred Championship is going to further that. He's a really good person, first and foremost and he's got a really good rugby league IQ for a young player. He's an industrious player that works really hard in his effort areas and has ball-playing ability too. He certainly ticks a lot of boxes for us.”

Nicholson-Watton’s move strengthens links between Rhinos and York, whose squad includes former Leeds players Jimmy Keinhorst, Richie Myler, Oli Field, Jordan Thompson and Levi Edwards.

York have signed winger Tom Lineham on a one-year deal, following two seasons with Wakefield Trinity. He began his professional career at York before spells with Hull FC and Warrington Wolves.