Leeds Rhinos Jury: Young guns lead the way as Leeds cruise into semi-finals

Our fans' panel have their say on Leeds Rhinos' Cup victory over Leigh and the task ahead against Huddersfield tomorrow.
Jack Walker celebrates with team-mates after scoring against Leigh.Jack Walker celebrates with team-mates after scoring against Leigh.
Jack Walker celebrates with team-mates after scoring against Leigh.

CHRISTINE KIDD

Leeds Rhinos are in the Challenge Cup semi-final and will play Warrington Wolves.

I’m not sure that winning two games should qualify a team for the semi-finals, but that’s how it works at present. There’s no wonder that supporters are falling out with the Challenge Cup. There are so few games needed to get to the final and little chance of any team outside of Super League getting there.

Ashton Golding scores against Leigh.Ashton Golding scores against Leigh.
Ashton Golding scores against Leigh.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Rhinos were on a hiding to nothing with their game against Leigh Centurions. Many people thought Leigh had a chance of beating Leeds but this all changed once Peter Mata’utia was sent off for Leigh.

Leeds took full advantage of this and scored some super tries which ended in their biggest points score of the season, with youngsters, Jack Walker, Ashton Golding and Cameron Smith all scoring a try.

The team for tomorrow’s game against Huddersfield Giants may well be a case of ‘if you’re fit, you’re playing’.

I’m sure it will be a different Huddersfield performance to the one we saw in the Cup against Catalan last week!

Jordan Lilley kicks for goal against Leigh.Jordan Lilley kicks for goal against Leigh.
Jordan Lilley kicks for goal against Leigh.

DIANNE HALL

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The march to the arch continues! Leigh put up a spirited fight, even after going down to 12 men after six minutes.

The pace that we had was far too good for them to handle and the game was effectively over at half-time.

The loss of another three key players in the first half made for a tighter contest in the second. With the bench severely depleted, our big men had to put in some long minutes to compensate.

The foul on Matt Parcell was a red card all day and the sooner these types of tackles are stamped out the better, before someone gets seriously hurt. The game is hard enough without them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

So, Warrington in the semi in two months’ time. We should have some bodies back and be ready for the sharp end of the season.

Huddersfield tomorrow at the building site, who, no matter how badly their season is going, always cause us problems, though they will be without Danny Brough this time! They will have had a week’s rest and a new coach to impress. Home win!

MATT FOWLER

More injuries but a victory and a pretty solid one at that. Jack Walker, Cameron Smith and Mikolaj Oledzki are shining lights that are emerging from this injury crisis. All were outstanding in a comfortable win.

I do not like the semi-finals being eight weeks away, the competition loses all its momentum, however this year that could work in our favour. Fingers crossed by August we may have a healthier squad and some better form. Either way 80 minutes from Wembley always feels good and will give the team confidence.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This week is a huge game for league points. With Castleford playing Warrington, we have a chance to make up some ground with a win and we cannot afford to lose any more ground on the top five above us.

The squad is still light on bodies and Huddersfield always play their best against us so we need to start well. I know I keep saying it but the starts are killing us at the moment.

Get that part of the game right and we can then play on the front foot rather than chasing games. It should be a great contest but another close one. Enjoy the game.

ADAM ANDERSON

A win to be happy about and we’re are into the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup, but again it came with injuries which look serious.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Carl Ablett and Jimmy Keinhorst will be huge misses in the weeks to come, especially when we are down in numbers. Anthony Mullally copped another one-match ban for the same ‘high knees in tackles’, which is very disappointing. It’s good news that Mitch Garbutt may return this week, which is much needed.

We’re down to the bare minimum in terms of players and you’d expect the club to look elsewhere or bring someone from the academy.

I am hoping Owen Trout gets a chance to show his potential. He has looked unbelievable in the academy this year. Onwards to tomorrow and it’s always a tough game against Huddersfield, but hopefully we can get some consistency now with a run of games against lower sides.

Elsewhere, it sounds like Joe Greenwood is going to Wigan and Jason Clark has now signed for Warrington. It’s disappointing to miss out on two top class players who would have made a big impact to this squad.

IAN SHARP

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With the rumours coming out of some rugby league papers last week I was expecting another hard week in the life of this year’s Rhinos fans.

There are rumours Carl Ablett is moving on to Hull KR, which it seems to be the new retirement home for ageing Leeds players! I am not sure how much we take out of last Friday’s cup win over Leigh if I am honest, yes they are a good Championship side, but not quite Super League team.

With them being rightly down to 12 after 15 minutes following one of the most dangerous tackles I’ve seen in ages it was never going to be a contest.

Saying that, I thought we had some good passages of play and yet again, Jordan Lilley and Mikolaj Oledzki stood up again and proved a point, that they are both worth a starting shirt when we get some players back.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Two massive games coming up, one with a team we find it hard to beat at the best of times in Huddersfield and then the small matter of Saints.

Let’s hope the few more fans on the South Stand find a voice tomorrow.

GRAHAM POULTER

Firstly the bad news, it was yet another poor slow start from Leeds. Leigh came at us and they scored the first try of the game with plenty of help from our charitable soft defence.

We had three of our players who crumbled in attempting to stop the Leigh player from scoring.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They then had a player sent off for a dangerous tackle on Matt Parcell and it was then that Leeds clicked into gear and scored at will with plenty of assistance from Leigh who left wide open gaps for us to run through.

The win hopefully will have given us plenty of confidence and put the recent poor performances behind us so we can look forward to the rest of the season with confidence.

It was good to see Jordan Lilley put in a good performance and he was impressive with his goal kicking.

On to tomorrow’s game against Huddersfield, it will be interesting to see who starts the game with our ongoing injury crisis.

I am backing us to win and it is a bonus Danny Brough won’t be playing for them.