14 Apr 2026

Loan Watch | Young Rhinos find the try line over the weekend

With no Super League and Reserves matches last weekend, five Rhinos players got the opportunity to head out on loan to the Betfred Championship to get minutes for Hunslet and Keighley Cougars.

Both clubs sat mid-table in the league standings with the halfway point of the season on the horizon and the start of the 1895 Cup approaching, and important wins saw the young Rhinos play their part in getting the result for both the Parksiders and Cougars.

Find out how they got on:

Hunslet 34 Newcastle Thunder 32

Leeds quartet Tom Nicholson-Watton, Ned McCormack, Ben Littlewood and Joe Butterfield all featured in Kyle Trout's matchday squad as the Parksiders kicked a late penalty goal to beat Newcastle Thunder at the South Leeds Stadium.

Having not won a home league outing since the 2024 League One play-off campaign in which they beat Midlands Hurricanes, Hunslet came back from an early 12-0 deficit to lead by two points at the break - Littlewood producing a break to assist Billy Jowitt's try late in the half. Early tries from Ned McCormack and Joe Butterfield early in the second half helped Trout's side extend their lead, but Thunder kept themselves in the fight with three tries in the final 20 minutes to level the game to level the score before Jowitt's penalty goal proved the difference on the final whistle.

Nicholson-Watton and Littlewood made starting appearances for the second time this year after both featuring in the Reserves' huge win over Bradford seven days prior. Nicholson-Watton was making his third total appearance in orange and green, and set season high totals for tackles, carries and metres as he played 68 total minutes. Littlewood backed up a try-scoring performance in his last Hunslet outing by scoring and assisting a try to help get the win over Thunder. He also added 82 metres in ten carries and 32 tackles in the second row.

McCormack's try-scoring debut came as the centre made over 100 metres and added two tackle breaks and a line break as centre partner to Mo Agoro. Off the bench, Joe Butterfield started his month-long loan spell at the club with four carries and 31 metres as he debuted alongside Jordan Baldwinson.

TRY | Debut try from Ned McCormack, after a lovely last tackle kick from Billy Jowitt, we extend our lead! #swsa pic.twitter.com/kVmhiEnjAN
— Hunslet RLFC (@HunsletRLFC) April 12, 2026

Keighley Cougars 66 North Wales Crusaders 10

Another Rhinos player also played a crucial role in an important Championship win as Keighley Cougars broke a five-game losing streak to beat North Wales Crusaders 66-10 at Cougar Park.

One of the clubs who were merged from League One last year, the Cougars came into round ten of the season in 14th place in the league table as they looked to get a first win since posting 56 points against Whitehaven back in February. As the club bounced back from a high-scoring loss to Hunslet last weekend, three tries from Brad Holroyd was a key catalyst in seeing off the Crusaders' challenge, plus two tries from Oliver Whitford and Will Groves also supported a second 66-point tally that Keighley have scored in 2026.

Jacob Stead returned to Ian Hardman's side for a second time this year and was a try scorer once again, after scoring on his club debut against Newcastle at the end of March. The second rower's try inside the first 13 minutes was the start of a strong afternoon as the West Bowling junior made 13 carries, 105 metres and 26 tackles, as well as produced a try for George Hill as the Cougars took a 26-4 lead into the break.

? Tries across the board for our young Rhinos at the weekend on loan with @HunsletRLFC and @Cougarmania!

?LOAN WATCH ??https://t.co/kPQt1LY4y2 pic.twitter.com/CTxRFeO1ft
— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) April 14, 2026

Stats Breakdown

Ned McCormark
80 Minutes
8 Carries
103 Metres
2 Tackle Breaks
1 Line Break
1 Try
93% Tackle Completion

Tom Nicholson-Watton
68 Minutes
11 Carries
64 Metres
45 Passes
1 Tackle Break
45 Tackles
93% Tackle Completion