'Outstanding' Leeds Rhinos youngster hailed by Hunslet RLFC boss ahead of Harry Jepson Memorial Trophy

Hunslet RLFC are determined to retain the Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Trophy following their victory last year. Picture by Craig Hawkhead/Leeds Rhinos.

Hunslet RLFC coach Dean Muir believes Leeds Rhinos have unearthed a gem in young forward Tom Nicholson-Watton.

Muir - whose side face a young Leeds team tonight (Friday) in the annual Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Trophy tie - had two spells as an assistant-coach at Keighley Cougars, where Nicholson-Watton spent time on loan last year. The 21-year-old prop’s form there earned him a Betfred Super League debut in Rhinos’ final game of the campaign, against Castleford Tigers.

He is part of Rhinos’ 2024 first team squad and will play in Sunday’s James Donaldson testimonial against Hull KR, having featured in last year’s Harry Jepson Trophy clash which Hunslet won 50-12. “He’s outstanding,” Muir said of Nicholson-Watton. “He works really hard, he has great leg speed and he’s a great bloke to have in the changing room. He is honest, he has that desire and I hope it goes well for him. I hope he keeps working hard and he gets an opportunity and when he does, he takes it.”

Alongside his Cougars duties last year, Muir was also team boss of National Conference community club West Bowling, which produced four members of Rhinos’ 2024 academy squad - Harry Smith, Jayemm Oladipupu, Jacob Stead and Presley Cassell.

Leeds Rhinos' 2023 scholarship player of the year Presley Cassell trained with Hunslet coach Dean Muir at West Bowling last season. Picture by Simon Davies/Leeds Rhinos.

Though none of those is expected to play this evening Muir knows the quality of Leeds’ youngsters mean it won’t be an easy 80 minutes for the Betfred League One outfit. “West Bowling’s under-16s won everything last year and something like 16 of them signed terms at a pro’ club,” Muir said.

“I can see some of the ones at Leeds breaking through. Everyone talks about Presley Cassell; he trained a couple of times with our National League side last year and he is a good player, but the others are as well.

“There’s a lot of hard work ahead of them, just because you’ve signed academy forms doesn’t mean you are going to make it. You have to work hard from there and hopefully there’s opportunities for them to get first team rugby with a Championship or League One club before going back to their Super League club.”

Hunslet coach Dean Muir has a high opinion of Leeds Rhinos' Tom Nicholson-Watton, seen in action against Bradford Bulls last week. Picture by Steve Riding.

Muir admitted he would be keen to take a limited number of players on loan to boost Hunslet’s squad this term. “I wouldn’t go massive on loans,” he stated. “I saw the devastating effect bringing in multiple loan players can have on a squad last year. As long as it’s the right person with the right character who’s there for the right reasons, I’d be interested in taking them.”

Hunslet were beaten 62-12 by Featherstone Rovers in the 1895 Cup last weekend and play host to Batley Bulldogs in the same competition in two weeks’ time. Muir will give a run out to trialists Luke Punton and Luke Mearns against Rhinos and Aidan Scully could feature after a back problem. The coach confirmed: Everybody that hasn’t played so far will play against Leeds or Batley. It’s about staking a claim for the shirt and putting us in good stead for the league campaign.”