Leeds Rhinos news: hot prospect & son of Grand Final winner joins Championship side

Teenager Joe Diskin - son of Leeds’ four-time Grand Final-winning hooker Matt Diskin - has been added to London Broncos’ squad for their Betfred Championship game against Halifax Panthers at Ebbsfleet on Saturday. Diskin played for Rhinos in pre-season and has been featuring with the reserves and academy.

He was one of 11 Rhinos players to feature for Yorkshire under-18s against Lancashire earlier this season and is the second to join London as part of a new dual-registration agreement, after outside-back Jack Smith. Diskin has trained with Rhinos’ full-time squad and coach Brad Arthur said the move is “a good opportunity to get some experience playing against men”.

Speaking at his weekly preview press conference today (Thursday), he said: “He is probably going to get 40-60 minutes. With Andy Ackers back in reserve grade it limits Disko’s opportunity so where we can, we will try to get him more footy.

“They are training well, a lot of these young guys, but the only way they gain experience or get any better is by giving them experience. They can’t do it at training, they have to do it on the field.”

Arthur reckons Diskin has the potential to follow his father into Rhinos’ first team. He added: “I like what he does. He is only young and he is learning. Chev [Walker, Rhinos’ transition coach] and the club have done really well with a lot of those young kids. The experience they are getting from training against the Super League team, you can see them getting better from that and gaining experience and confidence.”

Diskin can play full-back or hooker, which Arthur admitted was a “very unusual” combination of roles. He said: “He can play anywhere. I think he wants to have a crack and prefers to play hooker. His preference is hooker, but it also helps him - maybe if he does go into Super League at whatever stage - being able to play a few roles. Maybe he can fill a No 14 spot later on.”