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Jacob Stead joined the Rhinos initially as an Under-14s Scholar from West Bowling and has worked his way through the ranks at the club.

The utility forward started playing rugby at school before joining West Bowling, where he won the Yorkshire Junior Division One title in 2021 and the Bradford Cup in 2019. Off the back of standout performances, he was one of four players from the club who joined the Rhinos Scholarship ahead of the 2022 season, going on to play six consecutive games and score four tries in his debut season. His second Scholarship season saw the forward play five games and subsequently sign his first professional deal to move into the Academy from 2023.

Despite a tough season for results on the field for the club’s Under-18s and Reserves in 2024, Stead was one of a strong number of young stars given the opportunity to test themselves and set up a stellar 2025. An ever-present in his first Academy season - scoring six tries - he was a major part of Chev Walker’s forward pack that reached the Academy Grand Final a year later as he played 11 games and scored two tries. Amongst his game time with the Academy, he also broke into the Reserves grade towards the end of 2024 with appearances in consecutive games against Huddersfield, Wigan and Wakefield. In 2025, he featured ten times across the second row and prop positions, but missed out on playing in the Grand Final victory.

2026 saw Stead back to his consistent best as he was ever-present for the entire Reserves season. Starting the season as a prop before transitioning back to second row, he was alongside Oliver Smart for seven out of 17 games that season, including after the season split the competition into the top and bottom six teams. Both of Stead’s tries came in the second part of the campaign in games against Warrington and Hull FC.

Away from the Rhinos, the 2026 season offered the forward a chance to test himself in the Betfred Championship. At Keighley Cougars, he recorded three tries in four games as he featured in games against Newcastle, North Wales, Halifax and Batley, before joining the Bulldogs for a sole game in July.