Victory at home to bottom club Castleford Tigers tomorrow night would virtually guarantee a top-two finish – giving Leeds a week off at the start of the play-offs and a second life should they lose their opening tie.

Rhinos have a four-point gap over third-placed Les Catalans Dragons and a better points difference of 271, but McClennan claimed he is more concerned about an improved performance tomorrow than the consequences for their league position.

Said the coach: "There are three games left for us and what we are thinking about is trying to raise our performance so that we are at a level that's going to give us confidence going into the play-offs.

"We've got confidence in our ability and we know if we perform really well we are going to finish first or second.

"So rather than look at that, we have just got to concentrate on playing well first."

St Helens are two points clear of Rhinos with a points difference advantage of almost 100, so Leeds' hopes of finishing top rest on the current leaders losing two of their three remaining games and the champions winning all theirs.

Saints have won their last 18 games in all competitions and McClennan said: "I really don't know (if they'll slip up).

"All we'll do is concentrate on what we can do and make sure our backyard is in order, rather than worrying about what other clubs can do."

Tomorrow's game is Rhinos' final home fixture of the regular season and McClennan said they are keen to finish on a positive note.

"We are blessed with wonderful fans who give us unwavering support," he said. "We want to make sure we finish on a high, with a really good game in front of our home supporters."

Rhinos players will be giving away signed team pictures during a lap of honour after tomorrow's game.

Chief executive Gary Hetherington said: "We'll be encouraging our fans to stay behind.

"There'll be a few words on the pitch with Brian McClennan and Kevin Sinfield, then the players will go around the ground and give away autographed team pictures.

"The game should finish about 9.40pm and the players will do that until 10.30pm."

Ashley Gibson has been named in McClennan's 19-man squad for tomorrow's clash with Tigers.

The injury-jinxed winger has ironically been sidelined since suffering a hamstring in the defeat at Cas in March – his comeback game following knee surgery.

Scott Donald (ribs) is out, but Ali Lauitiiti is back following suspension. Ben Jones-Bishop is also in the squad.

Leeds Rhinos' squad: Ablett, Burgress, Burrow, Diskin, Ellis, Gibson, Jones-Bishop, Kirke, Lauitiiti, Leuluai, McGuire, Peacock, Scruton, Senior, Sinfield, Smith, Tansey, Webb, Worrall.

Tigers coach Terry Matterson has added Michael Korkidas and Mark Leafa to the 17 who claimed an emphatic derby win at Wakefield.

Rookie prop Ryan Boyle, who missed the Wakefield game with a leg injury, again misses out, although he is expected to be fit next week.

Castleford Tigers' squad: Dorn, Donlan, Shenton, Dixon, Wainwright, Sherwin, Leafa, Henderson, Korkidas, Guttenbeil, Westermen, Higgins, Huby, Lupton, Moore, Owen, McGoldrick, Catic, Sargent.

* TRIES by Danny Allan, Ben Collins, Liam Brown and Dane Manning, plus two Simon Brown goals, earned Leeds Rhinos reserves an 18-12 win at Huddersfield Giants last night.

* PAST and present Leeds stars are to launch a new book about the club.
Derek Hallas, Roy Dickinson, John Atkinson, Kevin Sinfield, Danny McGuire and Rob Burrow are all due to attend the launch of Match of My Life - Leeds Rhinos, at Philip Howard Books, Street Lane, Roundhay, Leeds, on Saturday, from 11am, while Lewis Jones and Leroy Rivett have also been invited.

The book, edited by Phil Caplan and David Saffer, features players' own accounts of 13 of the club's finest moments.

Signed and dedicated copies, priced at £16.99, can be reserved by calling Ros on 0113 225 9797.