LEEDS RHINOS captain Ash Handley is set to make his first competitive appearance of the season in Las Vegas after being named in their 21-man squad for the trip.
The centre suffered a groin injury in Leeds’ pre-season win over Bradford Bulls last month and has missed their first three matches.
But after being held back from the Rhinos’ 46-14 victory against York Knights on Friday by coach Brad Arthur, Handley is due to make his return against Hull KR at Allegiant Stadium.
Ned McCormack is the unfortunate man to drop out of the 21-man squad to accommodate Handley.
With the exceptions of Mikolaj Oledzki, who will still travel with the group when they set off for the USA on Monday despite being sidelined by a rib injury, and ACL-affected Max Simpson, Arthur has a fully-fit squad to select from.
Maika Sivo, Jake Connor, Keenan Palasia, Cameron Smith and Jeremiah Mata’utia all made successful returns from injury against York, with Sivo and Mata’utia’s appearances marking club debuts.
Versatile former Wests Tigers back Jack Bird, whose signing was announced earlier in the week on a two-year contract, will not be going to Vegas, but is expected to be in contention for a debut in their following league game at home to Castleford Tigers (Sunday, March 8).
Leeds 21-man squad: 1 Lachlan Miller, 2 Maika Sivo, 3 Harry Newman, 4 Ash Handley, 5 Ryan Hall, 6 Brodie Croft, 7 Jake Connor, 9 Jarrod O’Connor, 10 Tom Holroyd, 11 Kallum Watkins, 12 James McDonnell, 13 Keenan Palasia, 14 Chris Hankinson, 15 Cooper Jenkins, 16 Ethan O’Neill, 17 Cameron Smith, 19 Jeremiah Mata’utia, 23 Danny Levi, 25 Ben Littlewood, 26 Tom Nicholson-Watton, 27 George Brown