IT IS all change at Leeds Rhinos this year, so 2025 could be something of a transitional season for the two-time Grand Final winners.
Amy Hardcastle, Shona Hoyle, Caitlin Casey, Hanna Butcher, Beth Lockwood, Tara Moxon and Sophie Robinson headline the departures, while Caitlin Beevers is still injured.
The club have recruited just three new faces, with half-backs Melanie Howard (Sydney Roosters) and Tally Bryer (Featherstone) joined at Headingley by back-to-back Grand Final winner Lacey Owen from York Valkyrie.
The rest of the gaps in the squad look set to be filled by Academy products. Ebony Stead, Ruby Bruce, Grace Short and Ruby Walker all featured in the first-team last term after making a similar step up, so with a strong production line already evident, the Rhinos, once again led by Lois Forsell who has returned from maternity leave, will no doubt give more future stars their chance this season.
The Rhinos should definitely not be written off this season – they’ll certainly be challenging once again despite all the changes.
Watch out for… Mel Howard has arrived at Headingley with NRLW and State of Origin experience under her belt. With so many experienced players moving on over the winter and the Rhinos promoting several more academy products to the first team, Howard’s extensive experience cannot be overlooked. She will be expected to lead the team around the park, and used the Challenge Cup games to find her feet in the new role. She has certainly impressed with her leadership and skils alread so the Rhinos could have a real star on their hands.
Bella Sykes says… On paper last year we had a really good side and I think we were expected to probably do a little bit better than we did. I think maybe that came down to a little bit of, not problems around the team, but were we really that close as a team? Probably not. I think this year we’re just a lot closer and we work together really well and everyone gets on which is really nice. The younger players coming up are going to add so much and the same with Lacey (Owen) and Mel (Howard) coming in. Mel is the key signing from Australia, I think she’ll go well for us. She’ll act as a bit of a leader on the pitch. Then there are some of the younger players like Connie Boyd, one of the young backs from the academy. She’s a player that the senior girls look at to challenge physically because she is so good.
2025 squad: 1 Ruby Enright, 2 Ebony Stead, 3 Caitlin Beevers, 4 Evie Cousins, 5 Sophie Nuttall, 6 Mel Howard, 7 Ruby Walker, 8 Bella Sykes, 9 Keara Bennett, 10 Izzy Northrop, 11 Shannon Lacey, 12 Lucy Murray, 13 Bethan Dainton, 14 Ruby Bruce, 15 Ella Donnelly, 16 Kaiya Glynn, 17 Jenna Greening, 18 Liv Whitehead, 19 Grace Field, 20 Elle Frain, 21 Grace Short, 22 Connie Boyd, 23 Frankie Blakey, 24 Tally Bryer, 25 Lacey Owen, 26 Lily Thompson
Rugby League World predicts: 4th
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 508 (May 2025)