Leeds Rhinos have added young hooker Corey Johnson to their first-team squad for the remainder of the Super League season, with the 20-year-old insisting he is ready to play a role in their push for the play-offs if called upon.
Johnson retired from professional rugby league at the start of the 2020 season to pursue other opportunities away from the sport.
However, he recently returned to the Rhinos and immediately signed for Championship side York City Knights on loan. But Johnson has been recalled from that loan spell and added to Richard Agar's squad for the final two league games of the season.
It is a timely boost for Agar and Leeds, who have lost a number of key players to long-term injuries, and despite spending so long out of a full-time environment, Johnson has insisted he is ready to go if Agar selects him.
"I'd love to play my part but even just training around the boys is good enough for me," Johnson said.
"York was a really good place for me to start developing again and learning my trade. I've had a lot of opportunities to get some minutes and play, and it's been good.
"I had an apprenticeship for a while and I've just completed my first year at University. I'm starting again part-time with that in the next month, studying science and sports performance at Leeds Beckett University.
