'Looking to kick on': Leeds Rhinos signing Luke Hooley sets target for Super League debut

The full-back joined Rhinos last autumn from Betfred Championship Grand Finalists Batley Bulldogs on a two-year contract.

He played in Leeds’ defeat by New Zealand in October, but an ankle injury ruled him out of Rhinos’ pre-season campaign.

He is now stepping up his recovery and hopes to be available around three weeks into the Betfred Super League season, which begins when Rhinos visit Warrington Wolves on Thursday next week.

Despite the training injury, Hooley reckons he is thriving in the full-time environment at Leeds and is determined to make his top-flight debut sooner rather than later.

“It’s unbelievable, the facilities Leeds have - the stadium, the training ground, everything,” Hooley said.

“You look at it and just think ‘wow’ - they have got everything you need to get the best out of yourself.

“I am going to try and use that and take my chance. It is not going to be easy, but when I came here I said I want to give it a go and play some Super League games.”

Hooley insisted: “I’ve been at the stage where you’ve gone through the academy, I did that at Wakefield and got to the first team and was there three years and didn’t play one game.

“I said to Rohan [Smith, Rhinos’ coach] before I came, I am 24 now and not a young kid any more. I have been through the system, I know what the crack is and I am here to have a good go at it.

“My aim is to play, definitely. The injury didn’t help, it meant I couldn’t play any pre-season games, but I will give it a good go as soon as I am back fit and I’ll be ready.”

Hooley feels he has joined Leeds on the back of “the two best seasons I’ve ever had, just playing consistently”.

He said: “Linners [Bulldogs coach Craig Lingard] put a bit of trust in me and I took it with both hands.

“I got to Leeds on the back of that and I am looking to kick on now and make a mark in Super League.”

The injury before Christmas was a major setback, but Hooley is happy with his recovery following surgery.

He said: “It is going good - it wasn’t the ideal start, I wanted a big pre-season to push for the first game of the season, but stuff happens.

“I rolled my ankle, I went over on it at training and I ripped my ATF [anterior talo-fibular) ligament straight off the bone.

“I did it on a Saturday and had a scan on the Monday. I spoke to the physios about it and what they thought would be the best process and we decided to go ahead with the surgery.”

The recovery time is 10-12 weeks and Hooley, who had the operation seven weeks ago, is now running at training, which is a significant step closer to being cleared to play.

“It has been good to see a bit of progress,” he added. “Round three is my target, but we’ll have to see how it goes.”

Hooley began his professional career in the youth system at Bradford Bulls, when Rohan Smith was head coach there.

After Bulls’ financial problems in 2017 he left to join Wakefield Trinity’s academy, but - despite being promoted into the senior squad - left without playing a first team game.

He had spells on loan at Oldham and Dewsbury Rams and signed for Batley in 2020, going on to become one of the most admired players outside Super League.

“Especially with the season I had last year at Batley - I played every single game, I didn’t miss any through injury - to come here and get injured in pre-season is disappointing,” he conceded.

“It’s not an injury that you can just tick over with the team, you have to do your own thing. You have to do your rehab’, so when they’re on the field you are in the gym on your own, or with a few boys who’ve got similar stuff.

“You feel like you’re not part of the team, that’s the hard bit about it, but it is what it is. I feel at home here and having the New Zealand game was good for me because as soon as I came in I didn’t feel like a new guy. I’d met the lads and I did a couple of training session so I feel fine here.”