Liam Sutcliffe: Leeds Rhinos' long-serving star reflects on comeback from injury, squad number promotion and hopes for new Super League season

The 27-year-old captained Rhinos against Bradford Bulls last Sunday, in his first game since being substituted at half-time of a home defeat by Castleford Tigers on August 6 last year.

Playing at stand-off, he completed the whole first half and part of the second before being given a rest and is expected to get more game time on Sunday in Tom Briscoe’s testimonial game against Hull.

“I’m all good,” Sutcliffe - who has been a member of Rhinos' senior squad since 2013 - said.

“I was just glad to get a game again, it was nice to run back out.

“I’ve been out for about six months, it’s a long time so it was good to get back out there.”

Sutcliffe has been in full training since Rhinos returned from their Christmas break.

“It was just chance to see how I go,” he added of the derby at Odsal.

“I’ve had a couple of tests, back-to-back days which I’ve not done for quite a while.

“We’ll see how I go for a few minutes this weekend as well.”

Having scored three tries and a drop goal in 13 games last year, Sutcliffe underwent microfracture surgery a couple of weeks after the game against Tigers and said there was no adverse reaction last weekend.

He confirmed: “The knee was fine.

“It was just a case of getting back to playing again, but it was good.

“I just wanted to have the feeling of getting tackled again.

“It’s all good training, but until you get into a game situation, you want to feel some contact again.

“I haven’t felt it properly in six months so I wanted to get tackled again and get a bit of a whack.”

Despite the injury, Sutcliffe was one of Rhinos’ most consistent performers last year, playing in a number of different roles.

He admitted the layoff was “very frustrating”, but inevitable as his long-term knee problem persisted.

“It is always frustrating being out injured,” he said.

“But it was something I got my head round, knowing it was going to happen and knowing I was going to have to go through it.

“After the new year, I knew I wasn’t far away and I was itching to get back into training.

“Watching all the boys ripping into pre-season, it was tough - it is tough to watch when you are training on your own, so I was glad to get back into it.”

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Now, he is looking forward to playing pain-free and, he hopes, challenging Briscoe and Harry Newman for a place in the centres.

“I wasn’t really training too much,” he said of last year. “It is pretty hard when you’re hardly training and then going into a game on a weekend.

“This year I’ll be able to get back to normal, full training and then a game on a weekend.”

Sutcliffe was given a boost early in pre-season when he regained the number four jersey he last wore in 2018.

He has made no secret of his desire to play in the centres and admitted: “It was nice when Rich [Agar, Rhinos’ coach] told me a few weeks ago, before it got announced.

“I was pretty happy to get that back.”

The return of Sutcliffe and full-back Jack Walker, who also featured against Bradford after more than a year on the sidelines, means Rhinos have close to a fully-fit squad.

Prop Tom Holroyd will miss the start of the season with an ankle injury and Sam Walters suffered a shoulder problem against Bulls, but Sutcliffe said spirits are high in the camp.

“I think we’ll do good this year,” he predicted.

“I think the signings we’ve made have really added value to the team and everybody’s buzzing around the place.

“There’s a different feel to it this year so hopefully we can go well.”

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