Leeds Rhinos v Wigan Warriors: latest team news for Ash Handley testimonial game
Leeds Rhinos will field their strongest-available starting side in today’s Ash Handley testimonial match against Wigan Warriors.
Full-backs Lachie Miller (calf muscle) and Alfie Edgell (broken jaw) remain on the casualty list and Jarrod O’Connor is ruled out after suffering a knee injury in Rhinos’ opening pre-season game against Wakefield Trinity a month ago. But Morgan Gannon, who missed the entire 2024 season because of concussion, has recovered from a slight Achilles problem which kept him out of the Christmas fixture and is set to start in the second-row in a game being streamed live on SuperLeague+.
Academy players Joe Diskin, Harley Thomas and George Brown - who have all trained with the first team squad during pre-season - get another opportunity off the bench, after impressing against Wakefield. Reserves Jack Smith and Toby Warren, who are full-time players but have yet to make their senior debut, also continue among the substitutes.
Wigan coach Matt Peet is also set to start with a strong side before giving young players a run in the second half. Brad O'Neill is still recovering from the anterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered last July and Ethan Havard and Abbas Miski also miss out.
Leeds Rhinos: Connor, Sivo, Newman, Handley, Hall, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Palasia, Bentley, Gannon, C Smith. Subs Diskin, Thomas, McDonnell, Brown, Lisone, Jenkins, Holroyd, Sinfield, Nicholson-Watton, Lumb, J Smith, Warren.
Wigan Warriors: from Field, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, French, H Smith, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis, Mago, Byrne, Leeming, Dupree, Hill, Walters, Eckersley, Forber, Farrimond, Douglas, Makin, Hodkinson, Hirst, Cartwright, Yeomans.
Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan). Kick-off: Sunday, 3pm.