Leeds Rhinos must get back to basics says Mikolaj Oledzki

Rhinos are 10th in Betfred Super League and face bottom club London Broncos is a crucial relegation battle at the Dacia Magic Weekend in two days’ time.

Oledzki is adamant Rhinos have enough talent in their ranks to climb well clear of the danger zone, but admitted the fundamentals of the game are letting them down.

“It has been an issue for us for a while,” Oledzki said.

“We have got some world class players in our team and I think everyone knows what we could be capable of with some of the young players we’ve got coming through and the senior players.

“It is just getting the basics right, completing and finishing sets well.

“I think everything will take care of itself after that, but until we keep hold of the ball and we complete – the basic stuff – we will struggle to get good stuff out of us.”

Leeds have conceded 20 or more points in 12 of their 15 league games this year and Oledzki said: “We have struggled with defence, the amount of points we’ve been conceding and that’s an area we have really been trying to concentrate on and improve.

“I think making metres, we are up there with the top three in Super League. I don’t think that’s a big issue, it’s just defending the sets out and transitioning into attack and finishing sets well. That is what we need to concentrate on.”

Though there will be only 13 league fixtures left after Sunday, Oledzki reckons that is enough time to push on and finish in the top half of the table.

Rhinos are eight points behind fifth-placed Castleford Tigers and he said: “It is really the time to kick on.

“We haven’t been performing too well until now and it has been too long. I think we owe ourselves, our staff and the fans a big performance this week.

“It would really boost the team’s confidence if we can have one and I think it is well needed.”

Rhinos have had a long turnaround to this weekend’s game, since the 30-6 home loss against Tigers eight days ago. Oledzki reckons that will help and added: “It is a big game, we are not safe. We are close to the bottom so every game is essential.

“We have to get the win and we need to start building those points up.

“Hopefully nobody has written us off yet.

“Leeds is a great club and always has been and we know what we are capable of. The staff do as well and they believe in us and hopefully we can kick on and really start racking points up.

“Looking at our squad and the effort we put in every week, the results we’ve been having don’t reflect that.

“I think the effort is there, as individuals and as a team, every week, but there’s stuff we need to be doing as a team, with the ball and without the ball. It has to start coming together if we want to start winning games.”