LEEDS RHINOS coach Brad Arthur has explained how utility back Chris Hankinson reckons he can become a starting second-rower for him in 2026.
The much-travelled former Wigan Warriors centre was a surprise pick in the pack for the Good Friday win at Bradford Bulls, which briefly sent his side top of Super League.
Hankinson, 32, has already played wing, centre and fullback since joining from Salford last August.
Arthur has regularly mentioned how he rates the ex-Leigh Leopards player’s all-round ability and versatility, often naming him on the bench this term.
But a switch to the back row at Odsal surprised many.
Arthur said: “He can play any position for you.
“It has been tough having a utility on the bench. We had Jack Bird there against Hull and how do I get him on the field?
“Chank was there last weekend in the win over Warrington and I didn’t put him on.
“If you can have your utility in the 13 it makes it easier that way, then you can have the full rotation of four guys on the bench who you can actually plan to use in the game.
“From the start of the year Chank has told me he thought that second-row was an avenue where he could get himself into the run-on team.
“He did a good job. He wanted to stay there for the last four minutes; playing 80 minutes as a backrower is something he wanted to pride himself on.
“But he just started to cramp up.”
Hankinson, who has also featured with part-timers Swinton Lions, London Broncos, Toulouse Olympique and Featherstone Rovers in a varied career, made the most of his shot after England international Kallum Watkins was switched to loose forward to accommodate him.
Given that they are no longer in the Challenge Cup, the Rhinos players were granted a three-day break over Easter, returning to training on Tuesday.
Arthur said: “They have earned it.
“We’d much rather be playing next week, but we’re not, so we need to turn that into a positive moving forward.”