Brad Arthur addresses Ash Handley’s Ashes hopes following positional switch

Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur feels Ash Handley ‘certainly won’t let anyone down’ if he was given the nod at centre for the upcoming Ashes, following his off-season position switch.

The club co-captain has spent the bulk of his professional career on the wing, but had previously flirted with the centres, making 37 appearances there across his career. This season, though, he was handed the number four shirt during pre-season, and has quickly made that his home with all of his 21 appearances across the 2025 campaign coming in the centres.

The decision to shift Handley in was initially met with raised eyebrows, given his form on the wing, but he has been just as effective within Arthur’s attack at centre, scoring five tries and notching 10 assists along the way. He also sits second for metres-made at the Rhinos, with 2168 across the season – an average of 103.2 per game.

‘He’s gone very, very well’

“He’s gone very, very well,” Arthur said on Handley’s form this season. “I was just talking about him today, actually, he’s been doing really well there. I’ve been surprised that he hasn’t done a bit more in the centres.

“You look at his skillset; he can create opportunities for guys on the outside, he can give early ball, he can go himself, he can offload the footie and he’s got a kick. I feel he’s wasted on the wing, he’s a very good winger, but I feel like he’s wasted.

“He’s got better in defence as well, he’s nice and calm and handling it. It’s hard to go from the wing to the centres, but he’s a quick learner. He’s kept it nice and simple and stuck to his principles in defence. He’s done a really good job.”

“For me, it is (his long-term position), and I think he likes it there as well. At the moment, with where we are right now, we’re happy with him on the left centre.”

Handley has also been handed more leadership this season, joining Cameron Smith as the club’s official co-captain, and Arthur feels that has helped him take his game to new heights.

“I think he’s been one of our better players this season, and he’s become very reliable with his leadership and his performances.”

‘He certainly won’t let anyone down.’

His form in his new position was also rewarded with a call-up to the wider England train-on squad ahead of the upcoming Ashes series against Australia, and Arthur feels he could do a decent job in the Test side in his new spot if given the chance.

“His form is also good enough to get into the England squad as well, so that makes him a good option for those guys because he can play centre or wing.

“I do (think he can play Test level at centre), but they have a lot of good centres in that squad. Once he gets himself into the frame, it’s up to him, but he certainly won’t let anyone down.”

As Arthur alluded to, England are spoiled for choice at centre. Dolphins man Herbie Farnworth is widely regarded as the best centre in the world game, and Wigan Warriors’ Jake Wardle, fellow Rhino Harry Newman and St Helens starlet Harry Robertson were also named in Wane’s wider train-on squad.

Outside of that, Toby King and Sam Wood have also tasted Test minutes in the past few seasons, while Jack Broadbent continues to impress for Hull KR.

Handley will also face strong competition on the wing as well, should Wane want to use him back here, with injured star Matty Ashton, Wakefield Trinity’s Tom Johnstone and Wigan’s Liam Marshall named in the initial train-on squad, while Newcastle Knights ace Dom Young is also expected to feature.

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