Rugby League News: Leeds Rhinos Player Eyes First-Team Chance Amid Injury Crisis
Leeds Rhinos have endured a mixed campaign so far, sitting two points adrift of the Super League’s top six after 11 rounds. Plagued by a spate of serious injuries to key players, the club’s season has been threatened, but it has also opened the door for fringe squad members to stake their claim.
One such player is 17-year-old Riley Lumb, who impressed on debut against Hull FC before succumbing to a hamstring injury. Likewise, Luis Roberts has become a regular starter due to the absence of David Fusitu’a, Harry Newman and Paul Momirovski.
Now, the latest player aiming to capitalize on Leeds’ misfortunes is Corey Johnson. Once considered a hot prospect from the club’s renowned youth academy, Johnson made his debut against Warrington Wolves in 2019 before stepping away from the game. After a spell in amateur rugby, he rejoined the Rhinos in 2021, quickly earning a loan move to York City Knights.
Johnson established himself as a key figure for Leeds in 2023, featuring 18 times in a challenging season. Though his contract was set to expire at the end of the current campaign, and a departure seemed likely, Johnson has now been unexpectedly recalled to the first-team squad for the upcoming match against Catalans Dragons.
“I am going to try to push for a place in the team here,” he stated. “I’ve not thought about next year yet. I just want to get myself right, get my footy right and take it from there.”
In a remarkable turnaround, Johnson has now been named in Leeds’ 21-man squad to face St Helens on Friday night. Despite the competition posed by the returning Brodie Croft, Johnson is determined to seize this opportunity to prove his worth to the Leeds hierarchy.
“It has been a bit disruptive, not the start to the year I wanted, especially coming into the last year of my contract,” Johnson acknowledged. “You want to prove yourself and get game time, but it is what it is. I’ve just got to play with the cards I’ve been dealt and just do my best.”
With Leeds struggling to find consistency this season, this may be Johnson’s best chance to earn a new contract for 2025 and cement his place in the Rhinos’ first-team plans.
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