'On the mend': Leeds Rhinos' Mikolaj Oledzki talks injury setback, comeback plan and World Cup experience

Oledzki, 24, is “likely” to miss Rhinos’ Betfred Super League opener at Warrington Wolves on Thursday, February 16, according to coach Rohan Smith, after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Leeds’ 2021 player of the year says he is on the mend and has not completely ruled himself out of round one, but insists he won’t rush back before he is fully ready.

Oledzki was ever-present in 2022, making 29 starts and two appearances as a substitute, but suffered shoulder damage during the play-off win at Catalans Dragons in September.

He recovered sufficiently to play in the following week’s semi-final win at Wigan Warriors and Leeds’ defeat by St Helens in the title decider before joining the England squad.

Oledzki was restricted to just one game, as a substitute, during their World Cup campaign and confirmed: “I was debating it [whether to have surgery] for a while. I probably should have done it earlier, but circumstances didn’t allow that.

“I really wanted to achieve something as a player, so I put it to one side and tried to get through and be part of the World Cup squad.

“That was a great experience and now I need to get my body right so I can be the best I can be for Leeds next season, so we decided to get it done.

“I am on the mend now, I will start my rehab’ very soon and I should be back in no time.”

But the Dream Team front-rower pledged not to hurry his return and risk reaggravating the injury.

“I am not putting any deadlines on it, I want to make sure I get back right 100 per cent,” he stressed.

“I don’t want to be coming in and going back out - I want to make sure when I come in I can do my job 110 per cent and the team can rely on me.

“I don’t want to be struggling again for a full year. I will make sure I am 100 per cent and we’ll go from there, but the time frame on paper isn’t far off from the start of the season.”

Of the injury, Oledzki confirmed: “I did it against Catalans, it got to a point where it was bearable, but in the Grand Final I rattled it again.

“Going into the World Cup I could still play with it, I just had to make sure it was numb. I probably could still play with it before the op’, but I couldn’t take pain-killers or get jabbed before every game - that’s not what I wanted.

“I wanted to make sure I can play my best. We all wanted to be in the Grand Final and to win that; as a player that was my dream, so it wasn’t going to stop me from playing.

“It was frustrating, because I felt like I was very fortunate to get through a full season with no major injuries.

“To get knocked back in the play-offs was so disappointing, but I am quite fortunate it is sorted now and I managed to experience a World Cup and play in a Grand Final.”

Tom Holroyd, who missed the whole of Rhinos’ 2022 campaign because of injuries and a 10-game suspension, will start in the front-row for Monday’s Festive Challenge against Wakefield Trinity at Headingley.

Sam Walters, better known as a back-rower, will be Leeds’ other starting prop and new signing Justin Sangare has been named among the substitutes.

The loss of Oledzki for round one would be a blow. But with Holroyd now available and Sangare and ex-Gold Coast Titans man Sam Lisone having been brought in to bolster the front-row, Rhinos’ management are confident they have enough strength in depth, despite another prop Matt Prior’s retirement last month.

Zane Tetevano, who was a regular in the front-row last season, is due to begin pre-season training in the new year, after being given time off following Cook Islands’ World Cup campaign.

James Donaldson is another option and teenage prop Nicholson-Watton, who is not a member of the full-time squad, will be among the substitutes on Monday.