ADAM Cuthbertson says Leeds' youngsters will benefit in the long term from the champions' current struggles as he prepares for his first lay-off in Super League.

The Australian prop has been a virtual ever-present since joining the Rhinos from Newcastle 18 months ago and made the Man of Steel short-list at the end of his first full season in Super League after playing a key role in their charge to the domestic treble.

However, Cuthbertson has joined Leeds' debilitating injury list after tearing muscles in his elbow in training and, after sitting out his first game of the season when the Rhinos lost to Salford on Saturday, is waiting to discover the length of his lay-off.

"I tore a few muscles attached to the ligaments that are joined to my elbow," he said. "It's quite a decent tear too, so it's not pretty, but I'm hoping I'm not out too long.

"It's rubbed salt into the wounds, especially doing it in training because you can cop them when it happens in the heat of battle."

Cuthbertson, who played in 34 of Leeds' 36 matches in 2015, is hoping his enforced rest will help him reproduce last year's form.

"I've been playing a bit battered and bruised," he said. "I broke a little bone in my hand, it's an old injury I've re-done and I think I was compensating for it a bit too much which sort of resulted in me getting this injury.

"You don't ever want to sit out games but I definitely feel refreshed from having the week off.

"Obviously we got pretty busy over the Easter period and I probably would have been rested (if it happened) this time last year, the way we were going.

"I'm disappointed for me as player getting the injury but it's not made it any easier on the team because of the amount of injuries in the squad."

Leeds, who have won just two of their first 10 games, have pointed to the loss of the club's training facilities - washed away in the Boxing Day flood - and injuries to key personnel as an explanation for their worst start to a Super League season but Cuthbertson believes not all is lost.

"We've been having to not only rotate players in certain positions they wouldn't play in, we've had to throw a lot of young kids in at the deep end in a sense," he said.

"But I think because of all that's been happening, you can only get stronger from it. These kids are getting good experience.

"I've been in situations where you've had a bit of a bad run in terms of win-loss scenario, and when you come out the other side, you see the light, you appreciate it a lot more and you can only grow stronger.

"There's plenty of matches to rescue the season but it's got to start now and I think it did last week. The performance at the weekend was quite a pleasing one. We didn't get the win but we're on the right track.

"We're still quietly confident that we can turn it around and have a successful year."

Meanwhile, Cuthbertson has not given up hope of playing for England.

Qualified through his Warrington-born father, he put his hand up to play under Steve McNamara in the 2015 Test series against New Zealand but did not make the squad.

Now he is hoping the appointment of his old coach Wayne Bennett as McNamara's successor can clinch his call-up, although he accepts he will need to re-capture his old form first.

"I played under Wayne at St George Illawarra Dragons and went to Newcastle with him for three years," Cuthbertson said. "I've spent plenty of time under Wayne and had a really good time doing so as well.

"I'm definitely keen, there's a long way of the season to go yet and I'm sure I can turn it all around.

"My game hasn't changed too much, I don't think. People can point fingers and say 'you haven't played well and teams have figured you out' but there's obviously a lot more to it than just that."

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