Page 25 - Rugby League World (February 2020)

PREVIEW

LEEDS RHINOS

RLW PREDICTS: 4th

Leeds will once again be looking to another to work alongside Rhyse Martin.
improve on last year in 2020. Matt Prior is their final signing from
A slow start to 2019 cost David Furner Cronulla Sharks. Prior had long been
his job and after a small period in charge mooted as a target for the Rhinos and
as caretaker boss, Richard Agar is now they finally got their man late in 2019.
in charge of the Rhinos permanently. At the age of 32, he brings a wealth of
He impressed enough, when he initially experience from the NRL having played
took over, to earn himself a contract and over 100 games for both St George
now he’s been able to shape his team, Illawarra Dragons and the Sharks. He
with the help of Director of Rugby, Kevin also made his state of Origin debut in
Sinfield, for the new season. 2018 for New South Wales. Prior has a
The club have made four big signings in big frame and he completes a formidable
the off-season, the most important of front row which also includes Ava
which is Luke Gale. Seumanufagai who Prior will know well
Gale’s form will probably decide how well from his time with Cronulla.
the Rhinos do in Super League. Richie Myler The Rhinos have seen long-term stars
has long been the scapegoat for Leeds and Carl Ablett and Jamie Jones-Buchanan
Agar has moved to bring Gale back to his retire and have also moved on Brett
hometown club to partner Robert Lui in the Ferres, Ashton Golding, Shaun Lunt, Matt
halves. On paper, this is an excellent pairing Parcell, Nathaniel Peteru, Brad Singleton
but Gale hasn’t hit the heights of 2017 in and Owen Trout. 2020 SQUAD:
the last two years because of injuries. Overall, this has been an excellent
That will be the key for Leeds, keep Gale off-season for the Rhinos in terms of 1 Jack Walker
fit and they’ll have a good year. personnel. The whole club, of course, has 2 Tom Briscoe
The other three additions are in the been rocked by the news of Rob Burrow’s 3 Harry Newman
forwards. Promising young English duo fight with Motor Neurone Disease but 4 Konrad Hurrell
Kruise Leeming and Alex Mellor have both Burrow and the club have done 5 Ash Handley
joined from Huddersfield Giants to add magnificently in raising awareness. The 6 Robert Lui
some depth to their positions. Leeming club attracted almost 20,000 fans to 7 Luke Gale
and Brad Dwyer will work together out of Jones-Buchanan’s pre-season testimonial 8 Ava Seumanufagai
dummy half and Alex Mellor is a specialist game against Bradford Bulls which
second row. Leeds were crying out for doubled up as a fundraiser for Burrow. 9 Kruise Leeming
10 Matt Prior
STAR PLAYER COACH 12 Rhyse Martin
11 Alex Mellor
13 Stevie Ward
14 Brad Dwyer
15 Liam Sutcliffe
16 Richie Myler
17 Adam Cuthbertson
18 Dom Crosby
19 Mikolaj Oledzki
21 Rhys Evans
Konrad Hurrell is certainly one of the 22 Cameron Smith
most exciting players playing in Super 23 Callum McLelland
League currently.
He didn’t disappoint in his opening 24 Luke Briscoe
season in Super League with the Rhinos. When the Rhinos sacked David Furner, 25 James Donaldson
He was a ray of light in an otherwise they gave the job on a temporary basis 26 Alex Sutcliffe
dim season on the field for the West to Richard Agar. Initially, Agar didn’t 27 Sam Walters
Yorkshire side. seem too interested in having the role 28 Tom Holroyd
Hurrell is an immensely destructive permanently but he got on with his job, 29 Corey Johnson
runner that suits the style of Super the wins started to come and Kevin 30 Muizz Mustapha
League right down to the ground. Sinfield didn’t hesitate in handing the 32 Tyler Dupree
He was also able to contribute to some reins to Agar on a permanent basis.
of Ash Handley’s large haul of tries along Agar has coached several teams in his 33 Jarrod O’Connor
the way. time. As well as coaching the French 34 Jack Broadbent
During the off season, the centre was national side, he has spent time with 35 Wellington Albert
part of the Tonga team that secured a York City Knights, Hull FC and Wakefield 36 Corey Hall
shock defeat of Australia. Trinity.

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