Leeds Rhinos return to the field on Boxing Day. With it, Leeds fans will get to watch some players they haven't seen in Rhinos colours before.
Rohan Smith will hand debuts to four of his off-season signings at Headingley while several Academy graduates will all get their first taste of professional action. A number of notable names remain absent through injuries or extended winter breaks, but it provides opportunities for other players to put their front foot forward.
As a result, we've picked out four players we're looking forward to watching on Boxing Day.
Levi Edwards
It says a lot about Edwards' reported potential that he has been seen as the next big thing off the Rhinos' academy conveyor belt for years, despite the fact he remains a teenager. The centre, who turns 19 on Christmas day, will start at centre and arrives after an impressive spell on loan at Championship side York Knights. He scored four tries in eleven games as York made the play-off semi-finals and grew in stature as his spell went on. He'll now get the chance to show he's ready to be in contention for first-team action at Headingley on Boxing Day.
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Morgan Gannon
First and foremost, it will be great to see the teenage sensation back on the field after concussion complications as a result of that gruesome collision with Sam Kasiano in the play-off victory over Catalans Dragons. That saw him miss the rest of the season, including the Grand Final, and the game against New Zealand. But the fact he will be playing in the halves, a position he has been training in makes this outing a fascinating one. Few would have envisaged the move for the youngster, so it will be intriguing to see how he fares.
Tom Holroyd
Injuries and a monster ban ensured Tom Holroyd's 2022 was as good as finished before it had started. He returns effectively as a new signing but, as a result of his year so far, has some work to do in order to re-establish himself in the first-team plans, given he's yet to play under Rohan Smith. There's little doubting his talent but he'll be keen to put his best foot forward and end a dismal personal year by laying the foundations for a much better 2023.
Justin Sangare
Off the back of an eye-catching campaign with France in the World Cup, the prop from Toulouse Olympique has ensured expectation has cranked up just ever so slightly ahead of his debut. The 24-year-old was superb for his country in the tournament, which came off a solid season with the now relegated French club. He had shown signs of promise playing in Super League last year but, having taken the game to Tonga in a pre-tournament warm-up, and particularly against England in the group stages, Sangare will be keen to show the Leeds supporters why they should be excited by his arrival.
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