Leeds Rhinos are working out the best course of action for their young stars and their development heading into 2023. With less than a month until the start of the Super League season, Rohan Smith and the coaching staff are assessing the progress of the more youthful members of their squad to determine where they are best suited to playing in the opening rounds of the season.
That could see them sent out on loan, play reserves, academy or for dual-registration partners Bradford Bulls, while another alternative is for them to work their way into Smith's first-team plans. Already, young halfback Kai Morgan has been loaned to Halifax Panthers to feature in their pre-season games and others could follow the same lead once the season starts.
Many of those younger players are likely to feature in the upcoming pre-season games, starting with Leigh Leopards this Saturday. The performances of certain members may dictate the course of action in the coming weeks.
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"Trying to map out the best way for a player to develop is a difficult thing," Smith told Leeds Live. "In some cases, they have developed at a greater rate than I expected. They may be ready for Championship rather than League 1.
"But it's important to get through the friendly period, the other thing to be mindful of is that the Championship and League 1 teams they're trying to build their teams and process where they need their support and the certain positions they're short in. Those conversations will probably start in the next couple of weeks when everyone should know a little more."
The Championship season starts two weeks earlier than Super League, with second tier teams opening up at the start of February. Meanwhile, the Rhinos feature in the opening game of the Super League season, which is on Thursday, February 16th against Warrington Wolves.
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