Leeds Rhinos coach Brad Arthur will be forced into a rare team change this weekend.

Rhinos have got through the season relatively unscathed so far, but will be without veteran winger Ryan Hall for Saturday’s meeting with Catalans Dragons in Perpignan. The 38-year-old, who has missed only one game in 2026, suffered a foot injury during last Sunday’s 50-16 Magic Weekend win against Bradford Bulls.

He is facing at least a couple of weeks on the sidelines, so what are the options to replace him? The last time Hall didn’t play, a defeat at Hull in March, Chris Hankinson came into the starting lineup on the right-wing.

Chris Hankinson - who is on a six-game scoring run, including the Magic Weekend win against Bradford Bulls - could switch to Leeds Rhinos' left-wing from the pack. Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com.

Hankinson, who has started the past 11 games in the second-row and is on a six-match try-scoring run - switched into the backs when Hall went off against Bulls. If he plays there in France, either Kallum Watkins or Cameron Smith could step up from the bench into the starting pack, with either Jack Bird or one of several forwards who have been waiting for an opportunity - including Presley Cassell, Tom Nicholson-Watton or Jeremiah Mata’utia - taking a place among the substitutes.

Bird hasn’t played a first team game for more than two months, after minor knee surgery, so Hall’s absence may be an opportunity to bring him back. As well as the bench or starting second-row, Bird is an option to start at right-centre, with Harry Newman potentially moving to that wing.

That, however, means using at least one player out of position. If Arthur wants to make a straight swap for Hall, Riley Lumb and Alfie Edgell could both come into consideration. Lumb, named in the past couple of 21-man squads, played as a winger in Rhinos’ opening two games this year, but has not featured since the loss at Leigh Leopards in Betfred Super League round one, five months ago. He boasts 14 tries from 24 first team appearances overall.

Alfie Edgell hasn’t played since suffering a thigh injury in Rhinos’ opening pre-season game against Wakefield Trinity last Boxing Day. He has now been declared fit and took over from Lumb as first reserve for a wing spot last year.

Riley Lumb, seen playing for Leeds Rhinos in a Challenge Cup tie against Widnes Vikings five months ago, is a specialist winger waiting for a first team chance. Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com.

Ash Handley was a specialist winger before Arthur moved him to centre at the start of the 2025 season. An easy fix would be to play him in Hall’s place and recall Bird alongside him, but the captain has been in outstanding form this year and Rhinos’ coach believes he is wasted on a wing, so that’s unlikely.