Rhinos roll out the big guns for loyal Kesik's testimonial
LEEDS RHINOS coach David Furner has named a stronger than expected squad for Sunday's second pre-season game, at Doncaster.
Rhinos traditionally send mainly academy players to face the Betfred League One club, but only three of this weekend’s 19 come from outside their full-time squad.
Prop Brad Singleton has been included after missing the Boxing Day win over Wakefield Trinity due to a suspension picked up last season.
New signing James Donaldson will make his second appearance for Rhinos, following the Christmas fixture and Brad Dwyer and Mikolaj Oledzki will also feature from Leeds’ top-20 squad numbers.
Other first teamers set to make the trip to South Yorkshire are Luke Briscoe, Ashton Golding, Anthony Mullally, Jack Ormondroyd, Cameron Smith, Alex Sutcliffe, Josh Walters and Dan Waite-Pullan.
Walters, Ormondroyd and Waite-Pullan all played for Featherstone Rovers on dual-registration in last Saturday’s Yorkshire Cup defeat at Dewsbury Rams.
England academy stars Harry Newman, Corey Johnson, Muizz Mustapha, Owen Trout and Loui McConnell will all play their first game of pre-season after featuring in last month’s Test series win over Australian Schoolboys.
McConnell, a forward, half-back Harvey Spence and full-back Liam Whitton are the only non- full-time players in Rhinos’ squad.
Another England academy star, new signing Callum McLelland, is unavailable due to a calf injury.
Furner is set to field his first-choice side in Kallum Watkins’ testimonial game at home to Castleford Tigers on Sunday, January 20.
Rhinos will also send teams to Coventry Bears a week today, Featherstone Rovers on Sunday, January 27 and Hunslet on Sunday, February 3.
This weekend’s game is a testimonial for Doncaster hooker Kyle Kesik.
Doncaster were beaten 72-12 by Hull in their opening warm-up game last weekend.
Rhinos’ squad to face Doncaster is: Luke Briscoe, James Donaldson, Brad Dwyer, Ashton Golding, Corey Johnson, Loui McConnell, Anthony Mullally, Muizz Mustapha, Harry Newman, Mikolaj Oledzki, Jack Ormondroyd, Brad Singleton, Cameron Smith, Harvey Spence, Alex Sutcliffe, Owen Trout, Dan Waite-Pullan, Josh Walters, Liam Whitton.