There are several key selection dilemmas for Leeds Rhinos coach Richard Agar to ponder ahead of Thursday night's Super League meeting with Hull FC.
As the Rhinos go in hunt of a second successive win after last week's triumph at Wakefield Trinity, Agar will have to shuffle his pack as injuries and suspensions force his hand and result in more changes to his 21-man squad. Here is what the Rhinos team could look like.
Fullback: Jack Walker
No debate about who will start at fullback. With Richie Myler still out injured, Walker will continue at the back and hope to build on the run of games he has built up so far at the start of the 2022 campaign.
Wingers: David Fusitu'a and Ash Handley
For once, there is no dilemma on the wing for Agar. Fusitu'a came through last week's return against Wakefield Trinity, while Handley marked that game with a hat-trick. Both will continue out wide.
Centres: Tom Briscoe and Liam Sutcliffe
With no Harry Newman, the obvious choice for Agar is to promote Briscoe from the bench and move him into a centre role he is no stranger to. Sutcliffe is the obvious choice to remain in the centres on the opposite flank.
Halves: Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer
Again, no decision to be made, with both Austin and Sezer set to partner up once again as Leeds go in hunt of back-to-back wins.
Props: Mikolaj Oledzki and Matt Prior
It is in the pack where the bigger issues lie selection-wise for Agar, but one position that will not be too difficult to settle on is the starting props, with Oledzki and Prior now almost locked into those roles on a weekly basis.
Hooker: Corey Johnson
With Kruise Leeming suspended, Agar has the potential to move Brad Dwyer up from the interchange bench. However, with Dwyer impressive and familiar with that role off the bench, the other option is bringing Johnson straight into the starting line-up.
Second row: Rhyse Martin and Morgan Gannon
Martin and Gannon both impressed in patches last week at Wakefield, and Agar shouldn't have too much difficulty in keeping them both in the starting 13.
Loose-forward: Zane Tetevano
There are options here for Agar, with Jarrod O'Connor one such player who could start the game at 13. But against a big Hull FC pack, the temptation may be to bring Tetevano from the interchange bench and give Leeds a strong platform to start from.
Interchanges: Alex Mellor, Bodene Thompson, Brad Dwyer and Jarrod O'Connor
Agar could opt for an outside back such as Jack Broadbent to take up one of the spots on the bench. But Mellor, if fit after his neck injury suffered against Catalans, can fill that void too, and his experience may give him the nod. The only dilemma is whether James Donaldson is fit enough to return. That could result in a straight shoot-out between he and Mellor, with Thompson, Dwyer and O'Connor much more secure.
