Leigh Leopards v Leeds Rhinos - Round 1 Super League 2026

 

If Adrian Lam invites you over for Poker night, I would recommend that you politely decline. A week on from the 4th Round of the Challenge Cup, when Lammy stated that he only had 19 players available to choose from. The injured players have risen one by one like Lazarus, to create an almost 1st choice 21 man squad for the first game of the season. At first look it is an almost complete consecutive numbers down to about 19. Missing is the most obvious David Armstrong at Full-back, but Leigh fans have grown used to seeing Bailey Hodgson fill in that role. The mysterious Issac Liu returns, some believe he has been out of the country and only returned today. The Iceman is a welcome return if he is match fit, this will push the attack out +1. Ipape-Liu-Cook-Lam and suddenly the focus is on the edges. At centre Umyla Hanley has been named. The 2025 Dream Team member was expected to be out for 4 weeks, but instead he is named after only one week off.

Matt Davis and Liam Horne return to the squad after injuries. Davis was expected to return after receiving stiches at the Warrington friendly, and Horne has served his HIA protocol after being dazed and confused in the same game. Question marks still remain over Mulhern, Liu and Hanley, and it is not beyond Lammy to add them into the 21 man squad, just to give Brad Arthur something to think about.

1. Bailey Hodgson
2. Keanan Brand
3. Umyla Hanley
4. Tesi Niu
5. Josh Charnley
6. Adam Cook
7. Lochlan Lam
8. Joe Ofahengaue
9. Edwin Ipape
10. Owen Trout
11. Frankie Halton
12. Jacob Alick-Wiencke
13. Issac Liu
14. Liam Horne
15. Robbie Mulhern
16. Andrew Badrock
17. Matt Davis
18. Jack Hughes

Brad Arthur already has plenty to think about. Top of the pops, is reigning Man-of-Steel, Jake Connor, who took a knock to his knee in training, and is expected to just miss one game. prop forward Mikolaj Oledzki, who picked up a rib injury in Saturday's Challenge Cup tie at Widnes Vikings. Elsewhere, Cameron Smith is also absent after picking up a knock against Widnes. Middle forwards Keenan Palasaia and Jeremiah Mata'utia remain sidelined, while outside backs Ash Handley and Maika Sivo are still out, with long-term absentees Alfie Edgell and Max Simpson missing.

I questioned whether the Leeds squad had enough depth to it, and already we are looking at 5 players who do not currently have squad numbers. Make your own call, but the Rhinos look like a patched up side at the start of the season, even before a huge game in Las Vegas for round 3.