Alex Mellor provides injury update: Leeds Rhinos forward reveals when he expects to be back and latest on his future

Mellor has not played since Rhinos’ narrow defeat at Castleford Tigers on April 18, which was his sixth game of 2022.

He suffered a sternum injury in the draw with his former club Huddersfield Giants four days earlier and the pain from that led to him being substituted late in the derby clash.

His return next week would be well timed. Leeds will have a vacancy in the second-row for their next two games, at Warrington and Huddersfield Giants seven days later, after James Bentley was suspended for a high tackle in last Friday’s win over Wakefield Trinity.

Mellor, 27, played out of position at centre in the Easter meetings with Giants and Tigers, but is a natural replacement.

His return would allow Rhyse Martin to continue at centre, where he impressed against Trinity.

Second-row is one of Rhinos’ strongest positions. James Donaldson, a regular substitute, started there against Wakefield and Morgan Gannon - who was on the bench last week - and Sam Walters could also step in to replace Bentley.

But Mellor’s return would give coach Rohan Smith another experienced option and the player revealed: “I am not too far off.”

The break for this weekend’s Betfred Challenge Cup final has given Mellor extra time to recover and he confirmed: “My sternum is feeling a bit better every day and, hopefully, I will be back for the Warrington game, or the week after.”