Leeds Rhinos youngster Morgan Gannon on overcoming concussion issues, ending half-back experiment and bouncing back

Concussion issues and an untimely ankle injury restricted Gannon to 11 appearances and prevented the youngster from building on the foundations he laid in 2022.

The England Knights back-rower scored six tries in 25 games to secure a place on the Super League Young Player of the Year shortlist, only for a nasty head knock to end his hopes of a maiden Grand Final appearance and spark a series of events that led to a frustrating season.

"It was a bit of a disappointing year from what I did the year before," Gannon told The Yorkshire Post.

"I wanted to kick on and didn't really get the run of games to do that. It makes me more driven to get back in the team every week and make my body as robust as possible to avoid those injuries in the future.

"With the few concussions I've had, there's not too much you can do, but I've been working on my tackle technique and neck strength to absorb contact and take the impact away from my head.

"Those little things will hopefully make the difference in the long run."

After a lengthy recovery from the thunderous collision with Sam Kasiano that cut short his 2022 campaign, Gannon sustained another concussion against Hull FC in round two in February.

To nip a worrying trend in the bud, the Rhinos worked with Gannon on preventive measures.

"I had about 10 weeks out where I did four weeks of no contact," he said.

"I was doing weights, running and neck strengthening stuff. I did a bit of boxing to work on head movements and positioning.

"I had six weeks of return-to-contact which was really detailed on technique and spatial awareness.

"In the heat of the game you're probably not thinking about it but the repetitions I'd done during the 10 weeks made it more autonomous.

"I'm still building that muscle memory of getting my head in the right position. That helps when you're out on the field because you just don't have to think about it."

Above all, the Rhinos prioritised Gannon's wellbeing at a time when the topic of concussion is more prevalent than ever in rugby league.

Gannon, who turns 20 on Saturday, felt at ease during the return-to-play process.

"It was worrying from a medical perspective but I wasn't too worried about it personally because I didn't have any symptoms," he said.

"The only time I've felt symptoms was after the Catalans one. That was the most worrying one because I was struggling with that for several days after.

"The doctors were a bit worried about the Hull one because there was only a short period of time between them but the club gave me plenty of time to come back from it. It was all done at my pace."

Gannon was used off the bench on his return to action in May before starting in the halves against Wigan Warriors and St Helens.

The 19-year-old was not seen again until late August after being forced to go under the knife for the first time in his fledgling career.

Fresh from a season punctuated by injuries, it is little wonder that Gannon has decided to concentrate on mastering the second-row position.

"I felt I wasn't developing as a back-rower as much as I wanted to," he said.

"When I was going back into the second row, it felt a bit unnatural. I've done all back row so far this pre-season – and hopefully it'll continue like that."

Gannon played in the halves in his early days as a youth player for amateur club Siddal but it was a different challenge altogether at Super League level.

Rhinos boss Rohan Smith gave Gannon playmaking responsibilities to open his eyes – and the temporary move certainly did that.

"It was worthwhile in terms of developing my awareness around the game and being a bit more involved," added Gannon.

"We both agreed that as a back-rower first and foremost, you've got to get that nailed."

Gannon's return came too late to inspire another charge for the play-offs and Old Trafford in a forgettable first full season under Smith.

A new pre-season has brought renewed optimism for the 2022 Grand Finalists with Brodie Croft and Andy Ackers among the fresh faces at the club’s training base in Kirkstall.

Leeds have not finished in the top four since their last Old Trafford success in 2017, a record Gannon is desperate to address next year.

"We're aiming for the top," he said. "That's what Leeds as a club expect and that's what this playing group is definitely capable of.

"Last season we didn't live up to what we did the year before getting to the Grand Final. That's a big motivator this pre-season.

"We definitely want to finish in the top four, if not higher."