Huddersfield-born Harry Newman could become the first Leeds Rhinos player born in this century to play for the club!
The 17-year-old centre, who was born on February 19, 2000, is named in Brian McDermott’s 19-man squad to face Wigan on Friday night.
Newman, who is in his first season in the Rhinos Academy, joined them from Newsome Panthers, where he was coached by a former Leeds favourite and prop Darren Fleary.
An England Youth squad member, Newman – who has squad number 33 – scored three tries in five appearances for Leeds’ Under 16s in 2016 and, this season, has been a regular in Adrian Morley’s Under 19 squad.
Leeds, who are guaranteed to enter the Super 8s in second place, will be without 13 senior players through injury, hence the call-up for Newman and other youngsters.
Newman also played for Huddersfield Rugby Union Club in their Academy set-up.
This is Leeds’ last match before the Challenge Cup semi-finals.
Captain Danny McGuire, winger Ryan Hall and forwards Keith Galloway, Stevie Ward, Brad Singleton, Adam Cuthbertson and Josh Walters all joined the Rhinos’ casualty list after last Friday’s win over Hull.
Galloway has been ruled out for the season with a ruptured Achilles but McGuire, Hall and Ward are expected to return for the semi-final against Hull at Doncaster on Saturday week, along with Kallum Watkins and Liam Sutcliffe.
McDermott has recalled forwards Cameron Smith and Mikolaj Oledzki from their loan spells at Bradford and called up Newman, Under 19s hooker Harvey Whiteley and second rower Alex Sutcliffe for what would be their debuts.
Teenage full-back Jack Walker has rejected the offer of a full-time contract with Leeds after failing to receive assurances from the club, the Rhinos have revealed.
The 17-year-old has made a big impression this year deputising for injured duo Ashton Golding and Liam Sutcliffe and scored the match-winning try in last Friday’s 10-7 Super League win over Hull.
The Rhinos were keen to tie their academy product to a three-year deal and got the club’s senior players to try to persuade him to sign up but say they rejected his demands to play full-back.
