The Hull FC loan player is still out with a hamstring injury.
Ethan O’Neill has a hamstring injury.
Hull FC loan player Ethan O’Neill will be out for ‘a couple of weeks’ with a hamstring injury, Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur has confirmed.
The Black and Whites were hoping that O’Neill would be fit to play in this Saturday’s Magic Weekend derby against Hull KR, but that won’t be the case, with the player, who is doing his medical and rehab programme at Leeds, out for the clash and seemingly the York Knights game the following week as well.
That setback will take O’Neill beyond the latest month’s loan agreement between the two clubs. However, Arthur has admitted that Leeds are open to another loan extension for the player, who has featured in both the back row and centre positions for Hull in a five-game spell, scoring two tries.
“He’s got a hamstring injury,” Arthur confirmed. “He’s a couple of weeks.”
Asked if he’s anticipating O’Neill going back to Hull after he completes his rehab, Arthur continued: “If they (Hull) have got a desire to do that, yeah. We’re still happy to let him get some time in Super League.”
But that won’t be the case with Leeds’ other loan players – seemingly with the exception of Jeremiah Mata’utia, who has also been on loan at Hull for the last two months and could also extend his stay should both parties come to an agreement.
“We’re getting a lot of requests for players to be getting loaned out but we need to lock down,” Arthur said. “There are five reserve grade games left and eleven Super League games left.
“My mentality at the moment is we’ve done our bit and guys have got enough game time. We need to just lock down and make sure we keep them all in house and go from there.
“But Ethan’s situation is a little bit different. He’s been down there for a while and done some training with them. It’s not his second home but he’s quite comfortable there so his situation is different to the rest of them, but we won’t be loaning any more players out.”