Brad Arthur offers honest verdict on Tom Holroyd ban

Louis Chapman Coombe
Brad Arthur

Brad Arthur is facing the loss of another key player.

Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur has detailed he is ‘comfortable’ with the two-match ban handed out to prop forward Tom Holroyd following his side’s win over Castleford Tigers last weekend.

Holroyd was charged with Grade E dangerous contact following an incident with Castleford forward George Hill and sent for a tribunal.

Arthur ‘comfortable’ with Holroyd suspension

After entering a guilty plea, and along with help from Sporting Director Ian Blease, the charge was later lowered to a Grade D offence and he will now miss his side’s next two games against Catalans Dragons and the Challenge Cup tie against St Helens.

But, despite missing the powerful prop for this tough block of fixtures, Arthur feels the suspension was the right outcome.

“At the end of the day, we were comfortable with how it went,” the Leeds boss told members of the media ahead of his side’s clash with Les Dracs. “Bleasy (Ian Blease) did a good job to Tom’s defence.”

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The incident occurred as Holroyd wrestled with Hill following a tackle, but he was not punished on the field.

“There was no malice or intent from Tom,” Arthur continued. “He was just fighting very hard to get a quick play-the-ball and it didn’t go the way he would have liked.”

He added: “At the end of the day, I think the two games (ban) is fair.”

With Holroyd now out of contention to face Catalans this weekend, it could give young prop Tom Nicholson-Watton a chance in Arthur’s match-day 17. The 22-year-old was an unused 18th man in the win against Castleford but has yet to register a full appearance this season. Since making his debut for the club back in 2023, he has made eight appearances.

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