This Friday night sees Leeds Rhinos and Hunslet RLFC come together for the annual Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Match at the South Leeds Stadium, kick off 7.30pm.

A staple fixture of every pre-season, the game is a good opportunity for the Rhinos to test some of its upcoming talents against a Hunslet side that is coming off the back of missing out on potential promotion last season. 

Find out more...

Opposition Preview

One of Hunslet's best seasons in League One almost saw the Parksiders get within eighty minutes of a potential spot in the Betfred Championship, but defeat to North Wales Crusaders kept the club in the third tier of the Rugby Football League for a ninth successive season.

Under Alan Kilshaw, Hunslet's regular season was almost spotless bar a handful of losses to Doncaster and Dewsbury, who were both promoted, as well as Oldham and Workington. Adam Ryder and Jack Render were both key players among in the try scoring statistics with 15 for Ryder and 14 for Render, along with Matty Beharrell who finished as the highest goal kicker. Invested in both its young faces and experienced names, such as Steve Crossley who played his final season as a Parksider, Kilshaw's side finished second in the league on points difference and entered the Play-Offs, where it wasn't to be.

A bye through the opening round saw Hunslet draw Doncaster in the semi finals, but a 26-14 defeat to the Dons meant that they had one last roll of the dice to keep their promotion hopes alive, but Crusaders snatched them away with a Dwain Abel drop goal and game-sealing try from Cole Oakley.

2024 sees League One become a nine-team league as London Skolars drop out after finishing bottom of the league last year. Keighley Cougars and Newcastle Thunder both drop down from the Championship as they look to rebuild again, whilst Hunslet, Oldham and Workington Town all look to continue their momentum from last season. The Parksiders, now under new head coach Dean Muir, have recruited heavily once again following 11 departures, with former Rhinos Academy products Ben Sheils, Keenan Dyer-Dixon and Iwan Orr among the new faces arriving in South Leeds.

Ins

Keenan Dyer-Dixon (Keighley Cougars), Harry Williams (West Bowling), Rhys Davies, Toby Everett (Keighley Cougars), Aaron Levy (Keighley Cougars), Ross Whitmore (Doncaster), Billy Gaylor (Keighley Cougars), Brandon Wilkinson (Doncaster), Nathan Carter (Castleford Lock Lane), Jack Coventry (Keighley Cougars), Ben Sheils (Sheffield Eagles), Donald Kudangirana, Jude Ferreira (Hull FC), Iwan Orr

Outs

Jordan Bull (Cornwall), Nathan Conroy, Sean Croston (Workington Town), Nathan Newbound, Fraser Stroud, Aaron York, Sam Hallas (Bradford Bulls), Adam Ryder (Keighley Cougars), Steve Crossley (retirement), Joe Burton, Oli Burton (both Batley Bulldogs)

Hunslet Team

As the League One season approaches, Hunslet named their extended squad for the season, which includes some familiar faces for Rhinos fans.

Josh Jordan-Roberts, Jack Mallinson, Spencer Darley and Iwan Orr are just a handful of names in the last ten years that have been involved in the Rhinos Academy and first team squads, with Jordan-Roberts in particular making his debut against Leigh in 2016. 

Squad in full is:

1. Jimmy Watson, 2. Dan McGrath, 4. Jude Ferreira, 5. Alfie Goddard, 6. Harry Williams, 7. Matty Beharrell, 8. Harvey Hallas, 9. Billy Gaylor, 10. Toby Everett, 11. Josh Jordan-Roberts, 12. Aaron Levy, 13. Michael Knowles, 14. Jack Mallinson, 15. Ross Whitmore, 16. Jordan Syme, 17. Lewis Wray, 18. Cameron Berry, 19. Spencer Darley, 20. Rhys Davies, 21. Brandan Wilkinson, 22. Liam Carr, 23. Iwan Orr, 24. Ben Sheils, 25. Aidan Scully, 26. Ethan O'Hanlon, 27. Nathan Carter, 28. Keenan Dyer-Dixon, 29. Donald Kudangirana, 30. Jack Coventry, 21. Jack Render

Previous Pre Season Meetings

Clashes between Leeds and Hunslet have been taking place for over 130 years since the two clubs contested the Yorkshire Cup Final in 1892.

Over the last decade, the Rhinos have won four out of ten meetings, including a six-try display in 2011. The visitors also managed to hold to win two tightly contested games in 2012 and 2013 before Hunslet broke their losing streak with a 20-16 result in 2014. Leeds bounced back by winning the next three meetings, including 2017's 21-14 win that went down to the wire.

Recent years has seen Hunslet take the Cup with dominant wins over young Rhinos outfits. 2018 saw the Parksiders win convincingly 50-18 before Rob Burrow's academy side pushed the home side close in 2019. A late fightback saw Jack Broadbent score two tries to set up a tense finish but Josh Tonks' try with minutes to go sealed a 34-28 win.

The last three clashes between the clubs have also been convincing as Hunslet have scored close to 50 points in both the 2020 and 2023 meetings. 

Last ten meetings between Leeds and Hunslet

2023 - Hunslet RLFC 50 Leeds Rhinos 12

2022 - Hunslet RLFC 34 Leeds Rhinos 6

2020 - Hunslet RLFC 48 Leeds Rhinos 6

2019 - Hunslet RLFC 34 Leeds Rhinos 28

2018 - Hunslet RLFC 50 Leeds Rhinos 18

2017 - Hunslet RLFC 14 Leeds Rhinos 21

2016 - Hunslet RLFC 18 Leeds Rhinos 22

2015 - Hunslet RLFC 14 Leeds Rhinos 28

2014 - Hunslet RLFC 20 Leeds Rhinos 16

2013 - Hunslet RLFC 6 Leeds Rhinos 10

2012 - Hunslet RLFC 20 Leeds Rhinos 22

More information

Tickets for this friendly will only be available to purchase direct from Hunslet RLFC online at https://hunsletrflc.ticketco.events/uk/. 

Tickets are priced at £10 for adults, £5 Senior Concessions and Students and free for Juniors Under 16s. Fans are encouraged to buy beforehand as a cash turnstile will not be available on the day.

Leeds Rhinos will not be running official travel for this game.