Super League preview: Injured trio miss Leeds Rhinos' match against Salford City Reds
Leeds are without Jamie Peacock, Brett Delaney and Ryan Bailey for Friday Super League fixture against Salford.
Last Updated: 15/02/13 7:27pm
Peacock and Delaney are expected to be fit to return for the Rhinos' World Club Challenge showdown with Melbourne Storm on February 22 but Bailey is waiting to find out if he requires knee surgery.
The Rhinos, who lost 14-12 at Castleford last time out, have included Stevie Ward, Kylie Leuluai and dual registered Richard Moore in their initial 19-man squad to face the City Reds.
Ward is on the comeback trail from the shoulder injury he suffered in last year's Grand Final win and has played twice for the under 19s recently, while Leuluai could make his first appearance of the season.
Moore steps back up to Super League after turning out for Hunslet Hawks in their Championship defeat to Leigh last weekend.
"All three will be keen to have big games to put down a marker for selection next week," McDermott said. "We know we need to improve on our performance last week at Castleford regardless of who we play next week.
"We are looking forward to getting back to Headingley Carnegie and putting in a quality performance against a determined opponent."
Salford have yet to win this season and will be without teenage playmaker Theo Fages at Headingley.
The 18-year-old was knocked out cold by a high tackle during last Saturday's 40-6 defeat at Catalan Dragons.
Marc Sneyd has taken Fages' place in the City Reds' initial 19-man squad.
Leeds squad: Hardaker, Watkins, Moon, Hall, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, McShane, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Sinfield, Ward, Kirke, Clarkson, Achurch, Griffin, Moore, Keinhorst, Hood
Salford squad: Murphy, Broughton, Gibson, R Williams, D Williams, McGoldrick, Sneyd, Jewitt, Godwin, McPherson, Ashurst, Dixon, Wild, Howarth, Gledhill, Boyle, James, Neal, Owen