Leeds Rhinos hand new contract to Chris Clarkson

It has been something of a fairytale rise for the former East Leeds amateur, who left a career as an apprentice bricklayer to join the Rhinos.

“I think his story has been well documented.” McDermott said. “He was plucked off a building site to come and play in a Challenge Cup final a couple of years ago.

“I think those years on the building site put him in good stead.

“He’s not over-confident, he’s not cocky, but he’s got a level of maturity about him that lumping some bags of cement and some bricks would have given him.

“He’s a good one Chris – not only is he a player, he’s also quite a strong personality and quite a mature bloke for someone who’s not that old.