Leeds joined Vegas opponents Hull KR in crashing to a round one defeat - and the Rhinos’ injury situation heading to Allegiant Stadium wasn’t much clearer afterwards.
Adrian Lam’s Leopards scored a convincing 26-14 win in a Leigh Sports Village battle that saw rival centres Harry Newman and Tesi Niu engage in a running battle, Perth-bound Newman eventually being sent to the sin bin by referee Tom Grant, along with rival Matt Davis, for his involvement in several dust-ups.
With Leeds at home to York on Friday before heading to Nevada, coach Brad Arthur remain uncertain on the availability of a host of players - headed by Man of Steel Jake Connor, who missed the season opener with a knee injury.
“Maika (Sivo) is getting close to his return, James McDonnell was back today, Jake - all the signs are he’ll go very close to next week,” Arthur said.
Jerry (Matautia) is right, he was close this week, Cameron Smith is pretty close as well for next week, Keenan (Palasia) is closer, he might be a chance next week or the following week.
"Ash (Handley) won’t be right next week, he’s another week or so and Mikolaj (Oledzki) is just a week at a time. He’s moving alright today, hopefully he might only be a couple of weeks.”
That makes England prop Oledzki unlikely to play in Vegas. Having previously said winger Maika Sivo must play at Headingley on Friday, Arthur said the same would go for several of his team-mates.
“Yeah, we can’t take too many away who haven’t proved their fitness,” he said, “ so it’s going to be a big week for us and a big game on Friday.
“The good thing is that all the guys are itching to get themselves right to play - not just to be ready for Vegas but because they want to get out there and help their team-mates.
“Evidence of that was James McDonnell. I know he wasn’t 100 percent. If we had a few more troops I would have ruled him out myself but he got out there and he pushed himself and he got himself right to play at probably 70 percent.”
But the former Parramatta mentor ran out of patience with talk about a fortnight hence when asked if five-eighth Connor was one of those who would have to play next week to make it onto the plane.
“I don’t know what’s happening with Vegas and I don’t really care,” he said. “I couldn’t care less. I’m only worried about next Friday.”
A full list of the injuries is: Sivo (knee), McDonnell (syndesmosis), Connor (knee), Matautia (knee), Smith (groin), Palasia (knee), Handley (groin) and Oledzki (ribs).
