Leeds Rhinos news: forward to leave at end of season as Ryan Hall replacement confirmed for Catalans clash

Speaking at his weekly preview press conference today (Wednesday) ahead of Saturday’s game at Catalans Dragons, Arthur revealed Australian prop Jeremiah Mata’utia won’t be a Leeds player next term. The 21-year-old joined Rhinos in pre-season from North Queensland Cowboys, but has made only two appearances so far, both off the bench.

Mata’utia, who this week returned to Leeds after a nine-game loan spell at Hull FC, is on a one-year contract with an option for 2027 and asked if he will be a Rhinos player next year, Arthur stated: “I don’t think so, no.”

He said: “Bleasey [sporting director Ian Blease] has had a conversation with his manager. At this stage Jerry is aware we won’t be taking that option up.”

Mata’utia could still have a part to play for Rhinos this year, though Arthur hasn’t totally ruled out a return to Hull. “It is week to week,” he said. “He has got to work hard and fight hard.

“We are healthy, especially in the forwards. He joins the list of quite a few guys who are sitting at the moment waiting. Their job at the moment is to train well to make sure they are ready if an opportunity comes along, but also to prepare the Super League team on a weekly basis.

“It’s not just the 17 guys who go out there that contribute to the performance, it’s also what we do during the week at training and the level of intensity our reserve team train at and what they throw at us to get us ready for a game. That’s his responsibility and if he gets an opportunity he has to be ready.”

Of the possibility of another loan move, he added: “At this stage I think he will probably just be with us; we don’t want to be loaning guys out any more moving forward, but Jerry’s situation is a touch different because he has been loaned previously.”

Other players confirmed to be leaving at the end of this season are centre Harry Newman, prop Mikolaj Oledzki and second-row James McDonnell to Perth Bears, Warrington Wolves-bound stand-off Brodie Croft and loose-forward Cameron Smith who is joining Wakefield Trinity.

Arthur also revealed Riley Lumb will come into the side against Catalans in place of Ryan Hall, who could be sidelined for between one and four weeks after suffering a foot injury against Bradford Bulls last Sunday. Lumb 21, played in Rhinos’ first two competitive games this year, but has been out of the side since February.

“Riley will get his opportunity,” Arthur said. “Like a lot of our young guys, he has been waiting his time, training well and doing his job in reserves when he has played. It’s a good chance for him coming into a team that has got strong belief.

“He is coming in at a good time, now it’s totally on him. He knows what’s required and what’s expected of him and he gets the chance to push for that spot and also into the future, showing us he is worthy of being in the 17.”

Hall has had a scan on the damage suffered against Bulls, but is facing an uncertain layoff. Arthur said: “His plantar fascia is 80 per cent torn through. It didn’t completely rupture, but it is wait and see now.

“It could be a week, could be two, could be four, we don’t know. It is worse being a partial tear because they hang on and hang on forever. He definitely won’t play this week, but at the moment it is going to be a week to week proposition. It is hard, but Hally has got enough experience - he knows what he is doing and will know when he’s right to play.”