Leeds Rhinos news: Two key men back as Grand Final squad named to face St Helens

Handley, Leeds’ top try scorer this year and the leading metre-maker in Betfred Super League, has been named in Rhinos’ initial 21-man squad.

He missed both Rhinos’ play-off ties after suffering damage to a foot in the win over Castleford Tigers in the final round of the league campaign.

Goal-kicking second-row Rhyse Martin also returns after completing a two-game suspension.

Rhinos are without scrum-half Aidan Sezer after he suffered concussion in last Friday’s semi-final win at Wigan Warriors in an incident which saw John Bateman sent-off.

Second-rower Morgan Gannon remains sidelined with the head injury he sustained against Catalans Dragons a week earlier.

Another winger, David Fusitu’a, ran at training earlier this week, but has not fully recovered from a calf muscle injury and continues on the casualty list alongside Harry Newman (hamstring), Tom Holroyd (elbow) and Max Simpsion (ankle).

Hooker Brad Dwyer, prop Muizz Mutapha and half-back Jack Sinfield - the 18-year-old who could become the youngest Grand Finalist - are all included in the initial group after not featuring in either play-off tie.

Saints are set to welcome back centre Will Hopoate who has been out of action since last month with a hamstring problem.

Josh Simm and Dan Norman are also back in contention after injury and Morgan Knowles is included after having a two-match ban overturned on appeal.

An initial challenge to the suspension, issued by the RFL’s match review panel for dangerous contact, failed, but Saints launched a second appeal which was successful.

Rhinos’ 21-man squad is: Liam Sutcliffe, Ash Handley, Blake Austin, Mikolaj Oledzki, Kruise Leeming, Matt Prior, James Bentley, Rhyse Martin, Zane Tetevano, Brad Dwyer, Richie Myler, Cameron Smith, Bodene Thompson, Tom Briscoe, Sam Walters, Jarrod O’Connor, James Donaldson, Muizz Mustapha, Liam Tindall, Jack Sinfield, Zak Hardaker.

St Helens’ squad is: Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Will Hopoate, Mark Percival, Jonny Lomax, James Roby, Matty Lees, Sione Mata’utia, Joe Batchelor, Morgan Knowles, Joey Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Curtis Sironen, Agnatius Paasi, Jake Wingfield, James Bell, Josh Simm, Ben Davies,Konrad Hurrell, Dan Norman, Jon Bennison.