03 May 2023 , 14:15
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Leeds Rhinos boss Rohan Smith Smith expects to be without Aidan Sezer for some time after the Australian playmaker suffered an unusual dead leg.
Sezer, 31, is missing from the squad for Friday’s visit from Salford Red Devils having failed to recover from the injury picked up in their last outing against Leigh. Although it’s nearly a fortnight since that 20-6 defeat, he is still not right, meaning teenager Jack Sinfield could come into contention. Smith explained: “Seze suffered a really deep dead leg cork in his quad to the point where he was in a bad way at half-time.
“He couldn't really move in the back end of the first half. It will be a few weeks injury. Occasionally those bleeds go really deep and they become a relatively serious injury.”
Smith has options for Sezer’s replacement and he said he would have confidence in Sinfield if the 18-year-old did come in for his first appearance of the season.
He said: “Yes, when the time is right, Jack has performned well in pre-season. He’s still a young lad but he's been playing really well in the Academy and Reserves fixtures and I’m looking forward to the opportunity when that's right. We've been practicing differently there with Sinny. But also with Richie Myler in the halves and Ash (Handley) at full-back which is what we did a lot of in pre-season. I feel like we have some options to cover.”
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Leeds Rhinos boss Rohan Smith (Richard Sellers/PA Wire) (PA)The Australian is also “very encouraged” by Morgan Gannon’s progress as the teenage second-row was also named in the squad. Gannon, included in Shaun Wane’s 40-man England squad but out of action since February due to concussion issues, could finally return to action. Smith said: “He's a great young bloke and he’s attacked this block of training really professionally. He's a key part of our club short-term and long-term. It’s great to have him back in there and he knows he's competition for the spot as James McDonnell’s jumped in and done really well. James Bentley will be part of that conversation as well.”
Gannon replaces Sezer in the 21-man squad while James Donaldson is also back in contention after taking Luis Roberts’ spot in the only other change.
Meanwhile, Smith has confirmed the club wants to keep two of its young players who are out of contract at the end of the season - rangy forward Sam Walters and winger Liam Tindall. He said: "Sam and Liam are guys we’d like to keep and we are working through that process to keep them. We feel they are players we feel can develop with our group. There’s a core of English players in our group who are growing and developing and more to come. Those guys, hopefully, will be part of that process moving forward.”