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\n Perth Bears recruit James McDonnell is in doubt for Vegas.
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Fijian star Maika Sivo is hitting the scales at the lowest weight of his playing career as he pushes to play for Leeds in Vegas clash with Hull KR.<\/p>\n
Sivo, who is yet to make his Super League debut for the Rhinos after rupturing his ACL in a pre-season match last January, is expected to be fit for the February 28 match at Allegiant Stadium.<\/p>\n
And Leeds coach Brad Arthur, who has been coaching Sivo since the Fijian joined Parramatta in 2019, revealed he was lighter than at any time during his six seasons for the Eels.<\/p>\n
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Here comes Sivo<\/p>\n
With the Rhinos set to commence their 2026 Super League campaign against Leigh on February 13, Arthur said Sivo was aiming to get at least one match under his belt before the trip to Vegas.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We\u2019ve waited this long for Maika, we\u2019ve just got to make sure. He\u2019s close – round one or round two. He\u2019s going really well, actually,”Arthur said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaika \u2026 currently he\u2019s tipping the scales at 109kg which is great. I\u2019ve coached him for a while now and I can\u2019t remember the last time he was under 110kg.”<\/p>\n
Recalling Clint Gutherson suffering a similar injury at Parramatta, Arthur said: \u201cHe pushed himself to the extreme to come back early and he came back pretty early. Everyone\u2019s a little bit different but it\u2019s a tough injury to deal with”.<\/p>\n
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Sivo, Sivo, Sivo. One, two, three.<\/p>\n
However, as Sivo races the clock to be fit for Las Vegas, a 21-year-old Leeds team-mate has suffered the same season-ending injury that befell the Fijian giant this time last year.<\/p>\n
Centre Max Simpson suffered a suspected ACL knee injury in the Rhinos\u2019 46-16 pre-season win over newly promoted Bradford in Cameron Smith\u2019s testimonial match at Headingley on Saturday, ending the local boy\u2019s dreams of playing at Allegiant Stadium on February 28.<\/p>\n
When Sivo was ruled out for 2025 12 months ago, Simpson was preparing to play his first comp game for 26 months due to an ankle injury and then a ruptured ACL in his other knee which had wrecked his nascent career.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaika doesn\u2019t talk a lot but hopefully he can give some encouraging words to Max,” Arthur said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo-one likes injuries but it\u2019s just that kid – he\u2019s had a rough trot, hasn\u2019t he.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could see when he came out there, he had some good strong carries. He can obviously play. He can\u2019t be any more resilient than he probably is but hopefully this makes him nice and tough and he bites down on the bit \u2026 he\u2019s got a career there.<\/p>\n
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NRL stars keen to build on Vegas success<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully he can stay strong and push through it and he\u2019s only young.\u00a0 Unfortunately, it\u2019s part of the game, it\u2019s part of sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hadn\u2019t thought too far, who\u2019s going to be on the plane (to Vegas), but he was pushing all the guys around him and they knew that.\u201d<\/p>\n
New Perth Bears signing James McDonnell was also among the casualties yesterday with a possible syndesmosis to an ankle, which can rule players out for between six and 12 weeks.<\/p>\n
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\n Perth Bears recruit James McDonnell is in doubt for Vegas.
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Cowboys recruit Jeremiah Matautia (knee) is also no certainty to be crossing the Atlantic, with Arthur hoping to see him and Sivo play in one of the first two Super League rounds, against Leigh and York.<\/p>\n
“I feel sorry for Max in terms of \u2026 it\u2019s not the injury today, it\u2019s the series of injuries he\u2019s had to deal with in his career. We\u2019ve signed him for three years. We\u2019re going to back him,” Arthur continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s actually holding it together pretty good. I thought I was going to be coming in to a bloke who was going to be embroiled in tears. Obviously when he gets home and it sets in it\u2019s going to be disappointing for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arthur said players needed stitches after a physical training session in the lead-up to the match. Other injuries yesterday included winger Chris Hankinson (broken nose) and the scorer of the Rhinos first two tries, centre Ash Handley (groin).<\/p>\n
Former Titan Keenan Palasia (knee) was missing but would be fit for round one, if not the Rhinos\u2019 Challenge Cup tie the previous week.<\/p>\n
Five-eighth Brodie Croft scored a true hat-trick – although there was one opposition try after the first- when he crossed in the 41st, 57th and 63rd minutes.<\/p>\n
Man of Steel Jake Connor was at his creative best in the first half, which finished with the home team leading just 16-12.<\/p>\n
And man of the hour Smith was rewarded with a 70th minute try and a couple of goals.<\/p>\n