Leeds Rhinos’ influence across Super League underlined by ridiculous team of former players
From left to right: Kallum Watkins (Salford), Robbie Mulhern (Leigh) and Ryan Hall (Hull KR) all came through the Leeds academy
There aren’t many clubs in the British game who have contributed as much to rugby league’s player pool quite like Leeds Rhinos.
Leeds have boasted one of the most high-profile academies in the game for decades, and even across Super League to this day, there are dozens of Rhinos academy products still plying their trade in the top flight.
The Rhinos’ influence in Super League is underlined by a star-studded 17 you could put together of Leeds academy graduates that are now at other clubs..
1. Jack Walker (Hull FC)
Walker made his debut for the Rhinos as a 17-year-old against Doncaster in the Challenge Cup, and a few months later he played in their Grand Final win over Castleford Tigers at the age of just 18.
The England Knights international made 75 appearances for Leeds before joining Bradford on a permanent deal ahead of the 2023 season. He only played seven games for the Bulls in the Championship before returning to Super League with Hull KR midway through the season, and made a permanent cross-city move to Hull FC ahead of 2024.
2. Ash Golding (Huddersfield Giants)
The Jamaica international made his first-team debut for the Rhinos in 2013, and was awarded the number one jersey ahead of the 2017 season and played at fullback for most of the season until he lost his spot to the aforementioned Walker.
Golding made 63 appearances in total for the Rhinos before moving across West Yorkshire to Huddersfield in 2020, where he has become one of the most versatile players in Super League, being able to play fullback, wing, hooker and loose forward.
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3. Jack Broadbent (Hull KR)
The Batley-born centre came through the ranks at the Rhinos after playing his junior rugby with Dewsbury Moor and Batley Boys. Broadbent made his Leeds debut in 2020 and went on to make 22 appearances for the club before joining Castleford ahead of the 2023 campaign. He made a loan move to Hull KR earlier this season, and will make the move permanent at the end of the year.
4. Corey Hall (Castleford Tigers)
The 21-year-old made his Super League debut for the Rhinos in 2020 and went on to play three games before joining Wakefield in 2022. After playing 30 games for Trinity, he linked up with Hull KR in 2023 and is currently on loan at Castleford Tigers for the rest of 2024. He will make a return to Wakefield in 2025 on a three-year deal!
5. Ryan Hall (Hull KR)
Leeds helped produce one of Super League’s greatest wingers in Hall. The Great Britain and England international spent 12 seasons with the Rhinos between 2007 and 2018 before going on to spend two years in the NRL with Sydney Roosters. He won six Super League titles, two Challenge Cups, two League Leaders’ Shields and two World Club Challenge with Leeds. He has spent the last four seasons with Hull KR: but will return to Headingley for a swansong to his career in 2025.
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6. Liam Sutcliffe (Hull FC)
We know Sutcliffe is primarily a centre these days but he played a fair bit at stand-off (and loose forward!) during his time with boyhood club Leeds. After making his first-team debut in 2013, the 29-year-old went on to make 223 appearances for the Rhinos, scoring 72 tries and kicking 258 goals, winning a Super League title and two Challenge Cups whilst at AMT Headingley. The one-time England international made the move to Hull FC prior to the 2023 campaign.
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7. Kai Morgan (Salford Red Devils)
Morgan came through the youth ranks at the Rhinos although he never made a first-team appearance. The 19-year-old made the move to Salford in the off-season and made his debut for Paul Rowley’s side earlier this year.
8. Tyler Dupree (Wigan Warriors)
Similar to Morgan, Dupree started his junior career at Siddal and then came through the academy at Leeds. The England international didn’t make his first-team debut for the Rhinos though. He dropped down to the lower grades with Oldham went on to play for Widnes Vikings before getting his chance in Super League with Salford Red Devils. He made the move to Wigan Warriors midway through last season.
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9. Paul McShane (Castleford Tigers)
It’s probably safe to say McShane is regarded as a legend at Castleford now, having made more than 200 appearances for the Tigers since 2015 and being named the Steve Prescott Man of Steel in 2020. The 34-year-old came through the ranks at his boyhood club Leeds, making 63 appearances in blue and amber before making a permanent move to Wakefield Trinity in 2014.
10. Robbie Mulhern (Leigh Leopards)
Mulhern, who has represented Ireland and England on the international level, is one of the premiere props in Super League now with Leigh Leopards. Leeds-born Mulhern played five games for the Rhinos at the start of his professional career between 2014 and 2015 before going on to sped five seasons with Hull KR. He made the move across the Pennines in 2021 with Warrington, and has been with Leigh since 2023, helping the Leopards lift the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 2023.
11. Kallum Watkins (Salford Red Devils)
The Manchester-born centre began his junior career at Langworthy Reds before moving into Salford’s academy but then joined Leeds’ academy in 2007 after impressing on trial. Watkins spent 12 years in the Rhinos first-team following his debut in 2008, scoring 132 tries in 259 games, winning six Super League titles, two Challenge Cups, two League Leaders’ Shields and a World Club Challenge. He has been with Salford since 2020, playing almost 100 games for the Red Devils.
12. Sam Walters (Wigan Warriors)
The 6ft 7in back-rower started playing his junior rugby at Halton Farnworth Hornets before joining the Widnes Vikings youth set-up: but then was signed by Leeds alongside Jarrod O’Connor in 2019. Walters progressed through the Rhinos’ academy before making his first-team debut in 2020. He played 42 games across four seasons before joining reigning champions Wigan ahead of 2024.
13. Elliot Minchella (Hull KR)
A lot people tend to forget that Minchella once came through the ranks at the Rhinos, making six first-team appearances before spending the majority of the 2015 campaign on loan at London Broncos. He dropped down to playing part-time with Sheffield Eagles in 2016 before signing for home city club Bradford City in 2018. Following a number of impressive performances for the Bulls, he was rewarded with a Super League opportunity with Hull KR in 2020 and is now captain of the club. He made his international debut for England earlier this year in another career high.
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Bench
14. Brad Singleton (Salford Red Devils)
The Cumbrian prop spent nine seasons at Headingley between 2011 and 2019, making 178 appearances, including two Super League Grand Final victories and one Challenge Cup success. Singleton, who represented Ireland at the 2017 World Cup, then spent four seasons at Wigan before joining Salford midway through last season in a deal that saw Dupree go the other way.
15. Owen Trout (Leigh Leopards)
Owen Trout, the younger brother of former Wakefield Trinity and Hull KR man Kyle Trout, made his Leeds debut in 2019, playing three games that season before signing for Huddersfield. The 24-year-old prop made 54 appearances for the Giants over the course of four seasons before joining Leigh ahead of this season.
16. Muizz Mustapha (Castleford Tigers)
Mustapha was born in Nigeria and moved to Leeds with his family as a young child, progressing through the youth system at the Rhinos. The 24-year-old made his first-team debut for Leeds in 2019 and went on to play nine games for the Rhinos whilst enjoying a number of loan spells. He joined Castleford ahead of the 2023 campaign and has become a mainstay of the Tigers’ forward pack.
17. Liam Tindall (Hull FC)
Leeds-born Tindall is an academy product of the Rhinos, with the winger having made his Super League debut in 2020. The England Knights international made 23 appearances for the Rhinos in total and joined Hull FC on a two-year deal ahead of this season. He is currently on loan at Bradford Bulls in the Championship.
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