Leeds Rhinos opt for SHOCK choice to replace Lachie Miller for play-offs
Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur speaks to the media during a press conference in 2026
Leeds Rhinos captain Ash Handley will become their new first-choice fullback starting this weekend against Hull FC: and for their Super League play-off semi-final in a fortnight’s time.
The Rhinos have lost Lachie Miller for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury he suffered while playing against Wigan Warriors last week. Miller will be out for 10 weeks as a result – but will not require surgery.
That left many suspecting the battle to replace Miller would be a two-way one between youngster Fergie McCormack and utility Chris Hankinson, who filled in there last week when Miller went off.
But Brad Arthur has produced a curveball.
Ash Handley to play fullback for Leeds
Arthur confirmed to Love Rugby League on Wednesday morning that Handley would be the surprise choice to take the shirt from Miller.
That has been helped by the fact Maika Sivo returns this week, which likely means Jack Bird and Harry Newman will play centre, with Sivo and Ryan Hall on the wings.
And Arthur insists he has spoken with his players to outline the prospect of Handley being fullback, and says all parties are happy with the decision. Handley has not played fullback for Leeds since 2023, and has only done the role seven times in his career.
Arthur revealed: “Ash Handley is going to play fullback. What it does is it enables us to play the backline we want to put out in the semi-final, we want to play with it this week.
“We need to back the decision. I’ve consulted with the senior players and they’re happy with that and they think it’s the best for the team we have available. Ash is comfortable doing the job; there might be some teething problems but we’ve got a full 21-day window to get it right (before the semi-finals).”
Arthur explains McCormack omission
That means youngster McCormack will sit out the rest of the season barring any more injuries, but Arthur stressed it was more a decision based on seniority than talent – and if Leeds had more time to blood McCormack, he would have had the nod.
He said: “It’s not a reflection of young Fergus because he could have done the job. This is about getting all of our best players out there; young Fergus has only had three games and we’re going to need that big-game experience in the finals.
“He’s a really good kid and he’s understood it and accepted it. If it was Round 20 and we had seven games to get him ready, maybe. But the only thing that matters right now is winning.”
Arthur also insisted that Hankinson would be more use to Leeds in the forwards after putting a focus on his physical development to stand out in the back row for the Rhinos in 2026.
“Chank has been doing a good job in the back row,” he said.
“I just think Ash has played on the wing, he’s now played in the centres and he understands the role of the back three and how it works with the pendulum. He knows all the shifts and it’s nice and easy whereas Chank has narrowed his focus down to being physical. We put him at fullback at the weekend and he didn’t do anything wrong, but we didn’t have that fluidity in attack.”
