Leeds Rhinos: We must be more clinical - Falloon

An 18-14 derby setback at Castleford Tigers two days ago left Rhinos licking their wounds for the fifth time in seven First Utility Super League fixtures this term.

Rhinos trailed 12-0 early on, but hit back to lead 14-12 at the break and were two points in front until Jake Webster’s late try snatched the points for Tigers.

Last year’s treble-winners attacked for much of the second half, but rarely looked like getting over injury-hit Castleford’s line.

That has been a recurring pattern for Rhinos who have scored just 124 points in eight competitive games this year, at an average of only 15.5 per match.

And Falloon – who played his third game since returning from a broken toe – conceded: “It was one of those games, a really frustrating game.

“It was really disappointing not to get the two points.

“I thought we were probably the better team for most of the game, but it wasn’t to be and that’s very disappointing.”

It was the fourth time this year Rhinos have matched their opponents try for try, but they have been on the losing side in three of those games.

Rhinos went more than an hour without conceding a point after Tigers’ early blitz and Falloon felt they played well in patches, but admitted that just added to the feeling it was an opportunity missed. “That’s the disappointing thing,” he reflected.

“At stages of the game we were really good, but we just let a few soft tries in and in the end that cost us.” Falloon, who needed stitches in a head wound, reckons he is beginning to get to grips with the British game and predicted he will get better with more games under his belt.

“I am slowly getting there,” he said. “I have still got a lot of things to work on, but I’ll get there – I’ll keep working hard in training.

“Hopefully we’ll keep getting a few bodies back each week and we’ll start striking up some combinations.”

Rhinos are back in action on Monday when they take on fellow-strugglers Wakefield Trinity Wildcats at Headingley.

It is the first time the former Gold Coast Titans man has faced two games in five days, but he insisted Rhinos – who would have climbed into the top-eight for the first time this year if they had won on Friday – are anxious to get back on the field and put things right. “I’ll rest my body up and look forward to putting in a better performance on Monday,” he stated.

“I have got a few more stitches, I keep splitting my head open, but it’s nothing much - nothing to worry about.”

The Easter opener at the Jungle was Falloon’s first taste of a Leeds-Cas derby and he said: “The atmosphere was pretty good.

“It was good all the Leeds supporters showed up and put their support behind us.”