DEBUT:

Half back Fergus McCormack enters his sixth season with the Rhinos as he looks to bounce back from a frustrating 2025 campaign.

Formerly a Guiseley Rangers junior, McCormack agreed to join the Rhinos Scholarship ahead of the 2021 season, off the back of Covid-19 affecting the 2020 season across all grades. In his first season under Mark Butterill, he played in two out of four total games for the Under-16s - scoring one try against Wakefield in a 58-0 win - which he increased to five games in 2022 as the Rhinos won five of seven games. He finished his time in the Scholarship with a hat trick against Castleford Tigers in a 54-24 result, before moving into the Under-18s for 2023.

Under Tony Smith in the Academy, McCormack was one of the standout stars of the Rhinos side as he only missed one game during the Under-18s season and finished as the side's top try scorer with 11 tries. He added three Reserve appearances too that season and was rewarded by claiming the Academy Player of the Year award. He featured more heavily in the Reserve grade in 2024 as he played 10 times in the halves and at full back, alongside eight games for the Under-18s, but injury in 2025 ruled the half back out for the majority of the campaign.