Leeds Rhinos v Wakefield Trinity Festive Challenge latest team news and squads
Eight new signings are set to feature across the two teams when Leeds Rhinos play host to Wakefield Trinity today (Friday).
The Wetherby Whaler Festive Challenge will see Ethan O’Neill (signed from Leigh Leopards) make his first appearance for Rhinos in the starting second-row, while prop Jeremiah Mata’utia (North Queensland Cowboys) and hooker Danny Levi (Canberra Raiders) are among the replacements. Trinity could give a debut to former Leeds half-back Jack Sinfield, alongside fellow recruits outside-back Will Tate (Castleford Tigers) full-back/half-back Kian McGann (St Helens), prop Tray Lolesio (Redcliffe Dolphins) and forward Jordan Williams (Featherstone Rovers).
Both coaches will field a mixture of youth and experience, with Jarrod O’Connor, Tom Holroyd, Keenan Palasia, Chris Hankinson, Cooper Jenkins, O’Neill, Max Simpson and Mata’utia set to feature from Rhinos’ top-20 squad. Hankinson captains the side and is set to play out of position at stand-off, alongside academy player of the year George Brown. The highly-rated teenage half-back is one of two players in the starting lineup without a 2026 squad number. Ten more rookies are in contention for game time off the bench.
Trinity will also give a run out to some of their most promising young players, alongside Caius Faatili, Corey Hall, Jayden Myers, Oliver Pratt, Ky Rodwell, Cam Scott, Harvey Smith and Isaiah Vagana who all featured in Trinity’s 2025 Betfred Super League campaign.
Highly-rated Yorkshire Academy prospect Robbie Brook is set to start as full-back for Trinity and Charlie Abraham, a stand-out for the reserves last season, will be at loose-forward. This year is the sides’ 21st pre-season Boxing Day meeting, with Leeds having won 13 - including each of the past two - to Trinity’s six and one draw.
Leeds Rhinos: Edgell, Thomas, Simpson, N McCormack, Lumb, Hankinson, G Brown, Holroyd, O’Connor, Jenkins, Littlewood, O’Neill, Palasia. Subs from Mata’utia, Levi, Nicholson-Watton, Qareqare, O Brown, Hardy, Tooala, Harry Smith, Stead, Lloyd, Smart, Diskin, Butterfield.
Wakefield Trinity: from Abraham, Briggs, Brook, Faatili, C Hall, Lawford, Lolesio, McGann, Molyneux, Myers, Pratt, Ratcliffe, Rodwell, Scott, D Sinfield, J Sinfield, Harvey Smith, Stephenson, Tate, Vagana, Walker-Smith, Williams.
Referee: Marcus Griffiths (Widnes). Kick-off: Boxing Day, 11.30am.