Rising Leeds Rhinos star Morgan Gannon, 18, has agreed a new four year contract with the club that will keep him at Headingley until at least the end of the 2025 Super League season.
The teenager made his debut last season for the Rhinos and has been an ever present so far this campaign.
He commented, “I am really pleased to have got my contract sorted and have that locked in so I can focus on my rugby. I am happy to be getting game time, getting plenty of minutes under my belt and learning every week. That’s all I can really ask for so I’m really happy.”
Gannon said, “The last eighteen months have been big for me, Leeds have given me that opportunity to play first team rugby and be able to show what I can do. I am really grateful for that.
“The decision to sign a long term contract with Leeds wasn’t too difficult. The Rhinos have been everything that I have always wanted in a club. They have given me the chance to play first team and I can’t thank them enough,” added Gannon.
As well as impressing for the Rhinos in Super League this year, Gannon is also in the final year of his A Levels studying at Notre Dame in Leeds. With his brother Jacob playing at Warrington Wolves and dad Jim having played over 350 games in his 16 year career, Rugby League is very much the topic of conversation at home so Morgan says throwing himself into his studies is a chance to shut off from the game. He revealed, “It is tricky, my brother is playing and my dad played so I suppose that is one of the reasons why I enjoy my college work, it is an escape. When we are in the house we are always talking about rugby or have it on the TV but I don’t mind too much. Poor mum has been forced to enjoy it!
“College is getting a bit more serious now with exams coming up in the next couple of months. It has been a bit of a balancing act at times, when I have missed lessons, but it has been a fairly smooth ride so far and my teachers have been great with setting work for me which has meant that I haven’t missed too much training. I studying maths, physics and business and I am predicted A and Bs. I want to get the grades and do the best I can; if I’m going to do it, I need to do it properly and that will allow me to focus on rugby with that behind me in the future. I have had a think about going to uni in the future, I’m not too sure what I will do and maybe not straight away. Right now, I think I will have a couple of years to focus on my rugby but I definitely want to look at a degree at a later stage,” added Gannon.
Gannon is the latest member of the squad to commit their long term future to the club. The young forward admits the collective spirit within the group to achieve something special together was a big attraction for him to sign his new contract. He added, “The direction the club is going in is really positive and there is a lot of good youth coming through all at the same time and hopefully we can enjoy success together.”
Leeds Rhinos Head Coach Richard Agar added, “It is great news that Morgan Gannon has agreed a new long term contract with the club. First and foremost, Morgan is an outstanding young man and a real credit to his family. On top of that he has a tremendous talent, which he has shown over the last eighteen months in Super League with the Rhinos. I am sure he will continue to progress over the coming years.”
