Leeds Rhinos will be without both David Fusitu'a and Aidan Sezer for Thursday's clash with Huddersfield Giants after both were left out of Jamie Jones-Buchanan's 21-man squad.
Ahead of a gruelling Easter period that will see the Rhinos play three times in barely ten days, Leeds have been dealt a double blow after Fusitu'a and Sezer both failed to be cleared in time to face the Giants on Thursday evening.
Sezer has been struggling with a groin injury, which ruled him out of Leeds' last match against Super League champions St Helens. He is still battling that problem, meaning there will be no rematch against his former club this weekend. Fusitu'a has been blighted by several injury problems since he joined in the off-season, and those woes will continue again this week.
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Leeds also remain without the likes of long-term injury victims Richie Myler, Harry Newman and Tom Holroyd, meaning there are a number of youthful, inexperienced players being called upon by Jones-Buchanan for his third match in interim charge.
The Rhinos are still searching for Richard Agar's successor, with chief executive Gary Hetherington returning from Australia this week after conducting a number of interviews. Hetherington will now interview candidates on this side of the world before making an appointment but it seems likely Jones-Buchanan will be in charge both this Thursday and on Easter Monday against Castleford Tigers.
And he continues to do it tough in terms of team selection, with the Rhinos still some way from full strength and again likely to rotate players into unfamiliar positions. Liam Sutcliffe is one option to play half-back alongside Blake Austin but with Brad Dwyer named in the 21-man squad, there is also the possibility captain Kruise Leeming could go in at half-back, a position he performed commendably in last year.
Leeds Rhinos 21-man squad: Jack Walker, Liam Sutcliffe, Ash Handley, Blake Austin, Mikolaj Oledzki, Kruise Leeming, Matt Prior, James Bentley, Rhyse Martin, Zane Tetevano, Brad Dwyer, Alex Mellor, Cameron Smith, Bodene Thompson, Tom Briscoe, Morgan Gannon, Jack Broadbent, Jarrod O'Connor, James Donaldson, Muizz Mustapha, Liam Tindall.
