Leeds Rhinos' Max Simpson opens up on 2-year injury nightmare, reveals return target

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Leeds Rhinos rookie Max Simpson has had to endure more over the past few years than most players do in a career, but things are finally looking up.

Simpson is building towards his first game in 26 months following a nightmare struggle to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, a similar injury to the one which last week ruled Leeds’ star signing Maika Sivo out of the entire 2025 campaign. Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Simpson confirmed when he hopes to be back on the field, outlined how tough the last two seasons have been and revealed why surgery in Sweden got him back on his feet.

The 20-year-old is now back in full training and has a target in sight. “Obviously I have a bit of training to build up, having not played or trained in a while,” he said. “I’ll be looking to get fit first, but I think I’ll maybe play when the reserves start.”

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Simpson was promoted from the academy into Rhinos’ first team squad, aged 17, at the start of pre-season ahead of the 2022 campaign and made his debut in a derby at Castleford Tigers that Easter. He played four times before a season-ending ankle injury in a game away to Toulouse Olympique in July.

Leeds Rhinos' Max Simpson hopes to be back on the field early in the new season after a two-year injury layoff. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.Leeds Rhinos' Max Simpson hopes to be back on the field early in the new season after a two-year injury layoff. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.
Leeds Rhinos' Max Simpson hopes to be back on the field early in the new season after a two-year injury layoff. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

Having recovered from that, he featured in Rhinos’ 2022 Boxing Day game, but suffered ACL damage in training soon afterwards and has not played since. He had hoped to return early last year, but complications wiped out a second successive campaign.

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He recalled: “After the ACL I got eight-nine months in - when you should be returning - and I was close, I was training in pre-season, but then I was two weeks off, then another two weeks and it just kept adding up. It became normal that I don’t play, that’s what I have done for two years, just turn up and do rehab and train. It is a bit strange, but after a while it just becomes normal. It shouldn’t, but it does get frustrating when it keeps getting put back and put back.”

Simpson went on: “I had a couple of setbacks with my patella tendon, where they take a graft for your ACL. I had a few niggles with that which kept dragging on, then at the end of last season - in September - I went to Sweden to have an op on that and it has all been positive since. Hopefully it is looking a lot better now. It is definitely a lot better than before the op.”

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Leeds Rhinos' Max Simpson hasn't played a competitive game since suffering an ankle injury during a Super League defeat at Toulouse Olympique in July, 2022. Picture by Manuel Blondeau/SWpix.com.Leeds Rhinos' Max Simpson hasn't played a competitive game since suffering an ankle injury during a Super League defeat at Toulouse Olympique in July, 2022. Picture by Manuel Blondeau/SWpix.com.
Leeds Rhinos' Max Simpson hasn't played a competitive game since suffering an ankle injury during a Super League defeat at Toulouse Olympique in July, 2022. Picture by Manuel Blondeau/SWpix.com.

Explaining the Swedish connection, Simpson said: “It’s not a very common operation. We spoke to a specialist down in London and he said sooner or later I’d be better off having the op. He said ‘you can’t wait forever, you’ve tried everything’ - the physios here are top physios, it’s not something they weren’t doing or I was doing, it was just a case of we’d tried everything and it wasn’t working.

“The specialist was over in Sweden and it was pretty smooth. Simple’s not the right word, but he made it look that way - you just rock up, have the operation and walk out. It has been good since.”

Simpson signed a four-year deal when he joined Leeds’ first team group and that was extended by another season in June, 2023, while he was on the casualty list. With two years still left on that arrangement, Simpson admitted: “I can’t thank them enough for what they have done and how they’ve been during my injury.

“If I didn’t extend I would be in the final year of my contract now, having come off not playing for two years. It would have been a lot different situation, but I am thankful the club did do that and showed faith in me past the injury.”

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Leeds Rhinos legend Jamie Jones-Buchanan, pictured, has been an inspiration during Max Simpson's injury layoff. Picture by Steve Riding.Leeds Rhinos legend Jamie Jones-Buchanan, pictured, has been an inspiration during Max Simpson's injury layoff. Picture by Steve Riding.
Leeds Rhinos legend Jamie Jones-Buchanan, pictured, has been an inspiration during Max Simpson's injury layoff. Picture by Steve Riding.

Jamie Jones-Buchanan, now a club director, bounced back from potentially career-ending injuries as a teenager to become a Rhinos legend and Simpson is using his example as inspiration. “I have spoken to Jonesy,” he said. “He is around the club a lot and I sat down with him a couple of weeks ago.

“He had some really bad injuries and it’s good seeing someone like him and the career he had. Ryan Hall had knee issues and he is one of the best wingers in the world at 37. These injuries don’t mean you have to knock three-five years off the end of your career.”

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