Leeds Rhinos news: first team squad man set to miss whole season with serious knee injury

Teenager Max Simpson, who started as a winger in the Boxing Day game against Wakefield Trinity, has undergone surgery to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (acl).

Recovery time for such an injury is usually eight-12 months so it is unlikely Simpson will play this year.

The 18-year-old joined Rhinos’ first team squad ahead of last season and impressed in four senior appearances before ankle damage, suffered against Toulouse Olympique in July, ended his campaign.

Club chief executive Gary Hetherington confirmed: “He did it in training. He has had a bit of bad luck - his season last year got brought to a premature close last year and now he has got this.

“He has had the operation and is now in re-hab, but as we all know, with an acl it is a long-term thing. We were expecting him to really kick on this season, but alas it is not going to be.”

Rhinos’ first-choice centres - Harry Newman and Nene Macdonald - remain on the casualty list with injuries suffered last year.

New signing Derrell Olpherts, who can play centre or wing, is a doubt for next Thursday’s trip to Warrington Wolves in Betfred Super League round one and teenage three-quarter Levi Edwards this week joined York Knights on a three-year contract.