Leeds Rhinos have been dealt a crushing blow ahead of the new Super League season with star signing Maika Sivo ruled out for the year after suffering a dreaded ACL injury. The Fijian, one of Super League's headline recruits ahead of the new campaign, limped off during their pre-season trial with Wigan Warriors and scans have now confirmed a serious knee injury.

The 31-year-old has signed a three-year contract with the Rhinos after leaving Parramatta Eels, where he spent several years under current Rhinos boss Brad Arthur. He caught the eye during the opening stages of Leeds' game against the Warriors before suffering an inocuous-looking injury while trying to shut down a Wigan attack.

Sivo was helped off, sparking fears which have now been realised.

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Head coach Brad Arthur said: “Our first thoughts are with Maika and we will all get round him and give him and his family our support. Our medical team will make sure he has the best possible treatment to come back from the injury as soon as possible. Maika is a strong character and I am sure he will throw himself into his recovery to get back to his best.”

Sporting Director Ian Blease added: “This is an extremely tough blow for us as a club but especially devastating for Maika who has fitted in so well in our group. We were all excited to see what he could do in Super League in 2025 but we will just have to wait for that now.

"In terms of our squad, we will need to review the full situation and look at all our options. We have some outstanding young players who could well now get the opportunity to grab their chance, and I will be discussing all our options with the club, Brad and the coaching staff in the coming weeks ahead of the season kicking off.”