New-look Leeds Rhinos reserves 'excited' to get going

Batley’s Danny Bravo and Nyle Flynn - both former Leeds academy players - are in Leeds' 17, alongside Brandon French of Featherstone.

The side also includes first team squad members Corey Hall, Rhys Evans, Jack Broadbent, Muizz Mustapha and Sam Walters. Part-timers Liam Whitton, Harvey Spence, Harvey Whiteley and Loui McConnell are included, with the rest of the side being academy players.

A mandatory reserves competition he been reintroduced this season and Leeds’ coach Rob Burrow predicted: “I think, for most teams, it will be a bit of a trial year.

“Training has been great, though we are limited to a few sessions and the players are really keen to get going. We will have a spine of players who will be regular in the reserves, I know they are excited and I certainly am.”

Saturday will be Burrow’s debut as reserves team boss - after he was in charge of the under-19s last year - and his first game since being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

“I want to get back to a bit of normality,” he said.

Five of the Leeds reserves team - Joe and Oli Burton, Hall, Rian Rowley and Liam Tindall - have been named in the England academy performance squad, along with clubmate Iwan Stephens and Castleford Tigers’ Danny Attley, Archie Fletcher and Cain Robb.

Leeds’ Tom Holroyd, Callum McLelland and Jarrod O’Connor have been named on dual-registration in Featherstone’s squad for Sunday's Betfred Championship fixture at Bradford Bulls. On-loan Rhinos forward Tyler Dupree could make his Batley debut at home to Swinton Lions. Dewsbury Rams visit Halifax.

Leeds Rhinos’ reserves (v Bradford Bulls): Whitton, J Burton, Hall, Evans, Tindall, Spence, Broadbent, Rowley, Whiteley, Mustapha, Walters, Bravo, McConnell. Subs O Burton, French, Delaney, Flynn.