CHRIS HANKINSON will remain with Leeds Rhinos next season, coach Brad Arthur has confirmed.
The 32-year-old has become a key cog in Leeds’ wheel this year since being moved into the back row, having mostly been an outside back throughout his career.
Having initially joined from Salford Red Devils during the 2025 season – just like Kallum Watkins, who has also recently re-signed for another year having benefitted from his own positional switch to loose-forward – Hankinson signed a one-year extension for 2026.
But Arthur has revealed that an option in that contract has been taken up for the former Wigan Warriors player to remain on board.
“With Chris’ deal, another year got triggered,” explained Arthur, who now has only veteran winger Ryan Hall left off-contract.
“Bleasey (Ian Blease, sporting director) is in ongoing conversations with Hally at the moment and they’ll come to a decision on that sooner rather than later.”
Arthur is delighted to have vice-captain Watkins signed up for another season, and says the 35-year-old could well continue as a player beyond that, as well as looking for another role at the club post-retirement.
“He’s the sort of person we want to have around the club long-term,” said the coach.
“He’s happy to do it a year at a time to see how his body goes, and he’ll make the decision on when he’s done.
“At the moment he’s still playing well, he contributes every week, and his leadership is only getting better.”
After leading the side for the past three weeks, Watkins will cede the captaincy to Ash Handley who is set to return for Friday’s top-of-of-the-table clash at Wakefield Trinity following appendicitis.
Hall (foot) and fellow winger Alfie Edgell (hamstring) also return to their 21-man squad, although Arthur says the latter has a greater chance of being fit for Wakefield.