Leeds Rhinos star set for surgery with lengthy lay-off confirmed

Leeds Rhinos prop Mikolaj Oledzki is set for surgery on a fractured cheekbone sustained in their defeat to St Helens on Friday, and is now expected to miss at least eight weeks of action. 

The England international was named in the Leeds starting line-up in the 6-0 defeat to Saints at Headingley, but was later taken to hospital following the injury to his face.

Oledzki has again been a crucial cog in the Rhinos’ pack in 2025, with 17 appearances to his name to date. He has also scored one try in that time.

‘Mikolaj Oledzki will require surgery’

“They’ve taken him to hospital – it doesn’t look good,” Rhinos boss Arthur said after the game.

“He might have a fracture to his face so we might have to wait and see. He thinks he got a shoulder flush on his head but I don’t want to be making brash statements until I’ve seen it.

“He feels contact and there has to be something to get a fracutre on his head – but I don’t know. He’s pretty beat up. He was on the gas but they’ll get him up to hospital and get him looked at from there. It could be surgery.”

And in a statement issued today (Monday, 14th July), the club confirmed the full extent of the injury, but also revealed he is still waiting to go under the knife due to the swelling around the injury.

“Leeds Rhinos have confirmed that prop Mikolaj Oledzki will require surgery on the fractured cheekbone and eye socket injury he sustained in last Friday’s defeat to St Helens.

“The England prop is likely to be ruled out for six to eight weeks depending on the result of the surgery. The surgery is currently delayed due to facial swelling.”

Losing a player of Oledzki’s quality, particularly in the form he is in, is always hard, but it also gives Arthur yet another injury concern. Fellow front-rower Tom Nicholson-Watton is also currently sidelined through an ankle injury, as is versatile young gun Jack Sinfield.

With Oledzki now out of action for the foreseeable future, it will likely mean Keenan Palasia returns to the starting front-row unit after stints on the bench and at 13 in recent outings, while Cooper Jenkins, Sam Lisone and Tom Holroyd – who missed the St Helens loss through suspension – remain options as well.

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