Debut: Vs St Helens (A) 03/03/2023
Honours:
Championship League Leaders': 2022 (Leigh)
Rising star James McDonnell signed for the Rhinos on a two-year contract from the 2023 Betfred Super League and became a staple member of the forward pack with some impressive performances.
Having been handed his club debut in a one-point win over St Helens in round three, McDonnell started in the back row in every game he played in 2023. A scoring run against Hull KR, Huddersfield and Hull FC saw him touch down for three consecutive tries, plus he added another in a 54-0 home win over the Giants as he amassed 24 games.
He cemented his place in the second row in 2024 too, going on to start 24 times and come off the substitutes bench twice. He added two tries too in a high scoring 46-8 win over London as well as a 30-4 victory over his former club, Wigan, in round 21, which earned him a place in Shaun Wane's extended squad for England's mid-season international against France (although McDonnell didn't feature in the matchday squad).
The second rower, who can also play at centre, was a member of the England Academy side that defeated the Australia Schoolboys back in 2018 alongside current Rhinos Sam Walters, Harry Newman, Corey Johnson, Muizz Mustapha and Tom Holroyd. He also played for the England Knights last season with Holroyd and Morgan Gannon in their win over Jamaica.
Originally from the Wigan St Judes club, he joined his home town team whilst at school at scholarship level and enjoyed a successful career in the Academy with Wigan. He made his professional debut during the Covid-hit 2020 season before making a further two appearances in 2021 including Wigan’s final home fixture against Catalans Dragons where he scored his first try for the club, which earned him the Try of the Year award from the Wigan fans.
During the 2022 season whilst at Wigan, McDonnell was loaned to Leigh Leopards and featured heavily for the Championship side, making 17 appearances and scoring seven tries. At the end of the season, he was included in Ireland’s World Cup squad and scored a try in the Wolfhound’s opening win over Jamaica.
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Rhinos Career
Appears
70
Tries
12
Goals
0
D. Goals
0
Sin Bin
0
Dismissal
0
Points
48
By Season
| Season | Competition | Appears | Tries | Goals | D. Goals | Sin Bin | Dismissal | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Betfred Super League | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| 11/07/2025 | Leeds Rhinos 0-6 St Helens | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 06/07/2025 | Hull KR 8-14 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27/06/2025 | Leeds Rhinos 48-30 Leigh Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20/06/2025 | St Helens 18-4 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14/06/2025 | Leeds Rhinos 36-12 Warrington Wolves | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31/05/2025 | Leeds Rhinos 22-18 Wakefield Trinity | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24/05/2025 | Castleford Tigers 6-29 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16/05/2025 | Leeds Rhinos 18-16 Hull FC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 03/05/2025 | St Helens 4-17 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25/04/2025 | Leeds Rhinos 14-20 Hull KR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18/04/2025 | Leeds Rhinos 28-6 Huddersfield Giants | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10/04/2025 | Salford Red Devils 0-28 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 28/03/2025 | Warrington Wolves 16-14 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 22/03/2025 | Leeds Rhinos 12-10 Wigan Warriors | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 08/03/2025 | Catalans Dragons 11-0 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 02/03/2025 | Leeds Rhinos 38-24 Castleford Tigers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22/02/2025 | Salford Red Devils 6-32 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15/02/2025 | Leeds Rhinos 12-14 Wakefield Trinity | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Challenge Cup | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14/03/2025 | St Helens 22-14 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 08/02/2025 | Wests Warriors 0-92 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Season | Competition | Appears | Tries | Goals | D. Goals | Sin Bin | Dismissal | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Betfred Super League | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 20/09/2024 | Hull KR 26-16 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13/09/2024 | Wigan Warriors 38-0 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 06/09/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 68-6 Hull FC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 01/09/2024 | London Broncos 20-21 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23/08/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 18-6 Catalans Dragons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17/08/2024 | Warrington Wolves 24-6 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10/08/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 30-4 Wigan Warriors | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 03/08/2024 | Salford Red Devils 22-16 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25/07/2024 | Huddersfield Giants 6-34 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20/07/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 12-20 Hull KR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11/07/2024 | Warrington Wolves 30-18 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 06/07/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 17-16 London Broncos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21/06/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 18-10 Leigh Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15/06/2024 | Hull FC 18-10 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 01/06/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 32-4 Castleford Tigers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24/05/2024 | St Helens 40-10 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11/05/2024 | Catalans Dragons 26-0 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 03/05/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 46-8 London Broncos | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 28/04/2024 | Hull FC 12-18 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19/04/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 24-30 Huddersfield Giants | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 05/04/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 8-34 Warrington Wolves | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28/03/2024 | Castleford Tigers 6-26 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15/03/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 8-18 St Helens | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 08/03/2024 | Leigh Leopards 16-22 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 02/03/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 18-10 Catalans Dragons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Challenge Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22/03/2024 | Leeds Rhinos 6-20 St Helens | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Season | Competition | Appears | Tries | Goals | D. Goals | Sin Bin | Dismissal | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Betfred Super League | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 22/09/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 46-0 Castleford Tigers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16/09/2023 | Catalans Dragons 61-0 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 09/09/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 0-50 Wigan Warriors | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 02/09/2023 | Hull FC 12-28 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20/08/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 24-22 Warrington Wolves | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 06/08/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 6-13 Leigh Leopards | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28/07/2023 | St Helens 22-18 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14/07/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 18-19 Hull KR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 09/07/2023 | Salford Red Devils 14-16 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29/06/2023 | Warrington Wolves 6-22 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23/06/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 54-0 Huddersfield Giants | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 11/06/2023 | Wakefield Trinity 24-14 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 03/06/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 24-26 Castleford Tigers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26/05/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 12-13 St Helens | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 05/05/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 12-22 Salford Red Devils | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21/04/2023 | Leigh Leopards 20-6 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14/04/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 34-10 Hull FC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 09/04/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 18-17 Huddersfield Giants | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 31/03/2023 | Hull KR 20-12 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 25/03/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 32-22 Catalans Dragons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16/03/2023 | Castleford Tigers 14-8 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10/03/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 26-0 Wakefield Trinity | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 03/03/2023 | St Helens 24-25 Leeds Rhinos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Challenge Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20/05/2023 | Leeds Rhinos 14-18 Wigan Warriors | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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