Leeds Rhinos news: change made as 21-man squad named v Warrington Wolves
Leeds Rhinos coach Brad Arthur has made one change to his squad for Sunday’s visit of Warrington Wolves.
Teenage forward Presley Cassell has been recalled and replaces Ben Littlewood who was an unused member of Leeds’ 21 for the defeat at Hull FC five days ago. Cassell has not featured since Rhinos’ loss at Leigh Leopards in Betfred Super League round one last month, but impressed on loan for Huddersfield Giants against Bradford Bulls five days ago.
Second-row Ethan O’Neill and prop Jeremiah Mata’utia retain their place after not being selected against Hull. Ryan Hall, who missed that game with a minor knee problem, also remains in the 21.
Cassell’s call up means 19 of Rhinos’ top-20 squad are included, with only number 18 Max Simpson - who has been ruled out of the entire season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury - not in contention. Cassell, Littlewood, Mata’utia and O’Neill are all in Rhinos reserves’ initial squad to face Warrington this evening (Friday), along with Riley Lumb and Ned McCormack who also featured for Giants last week. Tom Nicholson-Watton and Zak Lloyd (Hunslet) and Joe Diskin and Jacob Stead (Keighley Cougars) are others who have returned from a spell on loan.
Arthur said Cassell is likely to be 18th man on Sunday. “He’ll get some game time [in the reserves],” the coach confirmed. “He’ll probably play half an hour or 40 minutes and then be 18th man come game day. He did a good job [for Huddersfield].
“There were some things we needed him to work on physically around his tackle and his tackle was good. It is always hard in those sorts of situations, going into a different environment, different team with different calls and systems. I thought he adapted pretty well and the things I was looking for, he delivered on.”
Hall was due to train today and Arthur said last week’s rest “seems to have had the desired effect for him”. He revealed: “He said his knee feels really good, we had to try something just to try to get him feeling better. That has worked at the moment, but once we get into the game we have to wait and see.”
Warrington’s squad is unchanged from the one named ahead of last Saturday’s 72-6 demolition of Castleford Tigers.
Rhinos’ 21 is: Lachie Miller, Maika Sivo, Harry Newman, Ash Handley, Ryan Hall, Brodie Croft, Jake Connor, Mikolaj Oledzki, Jarrod O’Connor, Tom Holroyd, Kallum Watkins, James McDonnell, Keenan Palasia, Chris Hankinson, Cooper Jenkins, Ethan O'Neill, Cameron Smith, Jeremiah Mata’utia, Presley Cassell, Danny Levi, Jack Bird.
Warrington’s 21 is: Josh Thewlis, Toby King, Albert Hopoate, Matty Ashton, George Williams, Marc Sneyd, Luke Yates, Danny Walker, James Harrison, Sam Stone, Ben Currie, Sam Powell, Liam Byrne, Jordy Crowther, Ewan Irwin, Luke Thomas, Joe Philbin, Max Wood, Josh Smith, Ben Hartill, Kelepi Tanginoa, Lachlan Webster.