7 Sep 2023

Academy round off 2023 season this Thursday

Thursday night sees Leeds Rhinos Academy's season come to an end as they take on Wigan Warriors at Stanningley, kick off 7pm.

Despite a recent good run of form, the young Rhinos are unable to catch the top four and subsequently miss out on the opportunity to reclaim their Grand Final crown. Nevertheless, a season of change has seen a new head coach, Tony Smith, take the reigns of a young group of players that now look towards 2024 as they continue their development at the club.

Recent academy clashes against the Warriors have been eventful, with last year's meeting at Headingley going down to a drop goal decider. Before that, Jack Broadbent's try in the closing stages of the 2019 meeting sealed victory for Rob Burrow's side, but based on form, the Warriors have won seven and drawn one of their last ten meetings with the Rhinos.

This season's results have been mixed for the Rhinos after starting with a convincing display at Newcastle at the start of the season. Defeat to Huddersfield at Stanningley proved to be a blip as Leeds added wins over London and Castleford, before a testing display at Stanningley against Hull FC saw the black and whites come out on top.

The RFL law trial, which ran between June and July, started with the Rhinos walking out 50-32 victors at Odsal against Bradford, but games against Warrington, Hull KR and St Helens saw the Smith's side fall out of a potential finish in the Play Off spots. Recently, they have rallied to beat Wakefield and the Giants by big scorelines, but after this week's test with the Warriors, eyes will quickly shift to the off-season and preparing the players for next year.

Among the playing group, first-year players Bobby Hartley, Mason Corbett and Fergus McCormack have appeared in over ten games - McCormack in particular leads the team in tries with eleven. Last year's Grand Final winners Harrison Gilmore and Dylan Proud have played in all eleven games this season, whilst Jack Smith's success with the kicking tee has seen the centre kick 28 goals over the course of the year. New faces have stepped up too as Lewis Peacock and Ned McCormack transition into the group seamlessly.

Watch the highlights from the win over Huddersfield here:

Thursday's opponents Wigan have a place in the top four secured, but a win against the Rhinos would ensure that they get a home semi-final. With ten wins from 11 games this season, they sit level with St Helens at the top of the table with 20 points, but Warrington sit only two points behind, meaning that with a win and a score of more than 22 points and a Wigan loss, the Wolves would jump John Duffy's side into second.

Wigan are a team in form though as they enter this week on a run of eight consecutive wins. A 28-16 win over St Helens at the end of August got revenge for the Warriors, after the Red Vee inflicted their only loss of the season in round three. Along with Saints, London, Warrington, Huddersfield, Hull KR, Castleford, Hull FC and Wakefield have all fallen to the Wigan challenge, as well as Bradford and Newcastle in their opening two games.

After last weekend's win over Leeds Reserves on home soil, Nathan Lowe, Jack Farrimond and Tom Ratchford are all eligible to feature again this week for Duffy; all three were try scorers in the 44-24 result too.

Team News

Tony Smith has three returning players available for this week's test of Wigan before he picks the matchday team.

Trio Freddie Brennan-Jones, Lewis Peacock and Jack Purtill are all available after injury. Prop Brennan-Jones has missed the last three games since the defeat to Hull KR at Headingley, whilst half back Purtill, who has been completing his return to play protocol from a concussion, could feature too.

Academy top try scorer Fergus McCormack looks to continue his try-scoring run, having touched down five times in the last five matches. His brother Ned has hit the ground running since his debut in June too, particularly scoring two tries against both Wakefield and the Giants, whilst Kyden Frater announced his return to the team from injury with two tries last time out to take his season tally to six.

Harrison Gilmore, Mason Corbett and Dylan Proud are in line to make their 12th appearances of the Academy season, meaning that they have been everpresent under coach Smith. Corbett has had a big first season since moving up from the club's Scholarship last year as he has started in every game and scored four tries alongside his East Leeds team mate Bobby Hartley, who has been a regular appearance maker too.

From the team that played a fortnight ago, Jack Smith drops out along with Ben Littlewood and Jack Sinfield.

The 21-man squad is:

Leo Aliyu

Freddie Brennan-Jones

Mason Corbett sponsored by UK Tank Services

Declan White sponsored by A9APA

Kyden Frater sponsored by Atlas Crew

Harrison Gilmore sponsored by Morley Ventilation

Bobby Hartley sponsored by Fab Gas

Jack Iceton

Jack Johnson sponsored by MACRONSTORE Wakefield

Riley Lumb sponsored by Euro Auction