Patience required to get Leeds Rhinos back on track, insists Kevin Sinfield

Rhinos’ record points scorer and now director of rugby says Leeds need the supporters’ backing more than ever as they rebuild following “three years of inconsistency”.

Sinfield admits Rhinos’ start to the season – just one win from six Betfred Super League fixtures – has been disappointing and the past two performances, heavy defeats by Wakefield Trinity and Hull, were “not good enough”.

But he says he is “encouraged” by how everyone in the camp is “sticking together, working hard and totally committed to turning things around”.

Sinfield said: “I think it is pretty clear we are in a period of transition.

“We need to rebuild the club from a rugby perspective and it is a long-term project, it is going to take time.”

Since winning the 2015 Grand Final, which completed the treble in Sinfield’s last game as a player, Rhinos have won 55 of 108 games in all competitions.

Twenty five of those victories came in 2017 when they again lifted the Super League trophy and 11 were against lower division opposition in the Challenge Cup or Qualifiers.

“I knew when I returned last July it would be a huge challenge and we are all up for the fight,” Sinfield added.

“It has been pretty clear how much improvement we need to make.

“Over the last three years –even when we won the Grand Final in 2017 – we have been inconsistent.

“The salary cap means it takes time to build a squad and this is very much the start of that process.”

Twelve players who had a squad number in 2018 are not at the club this season and Sinfield confirmed: “We have created some flexibility in the squad, but it is really important we get the right players to come in.

“We have been searching and trying to get the right people to come in and we are doing everything we can.

“On behalf of the squad, coaching team and backroom staff, we all massively care about what we are doing. Behind the scenes we are doing everything we can to put the Rhinos back where we belong.

“We know we are a bit off, but we are all working hard and I think it is only right our supporters understand and get the full picture.

“Also, it is really important they stick with us, because we need them more than ever now.

“The management team can see some improvements and are as frustrated as the fans, but this is a major rebuild, this is the first full season of it and the fans are a key part.”

Sinfield stressed: “I know some supporters will be saying we aren’t doing enough and why haven’t we done this or that, but I can only reiterate, it will take time.

“Dave (Furner, Rhinos’ coach) and I both only came back to the club because we believe we can help and we can make a difference.

“I understand people’s frustrations.

“We have a very knowledgeable group of supporters who have been through a lot with this club, not just in the last 15 years, but over a long period of time and they want us to continue to challenge at the very top.

“Myself and Dave want exactly the same thing. Everything I have achieved in my career tells me there are no shortcuts or quick fixes.

“As a young player coming through that was true when we had some tough seasons that people forget because of what followed.

“It is hard for everyone at the moment, but our focus is on building something that will carry us through for the next decade.”

Sinfield identified the number of highly-rated young players at the club as a success story.

The recent signing of Sam Walters from Widnes Vikings means eight of the England academy side who beat Australian Schoolboys at Emerald Headingley last December are Rhinos players.

On Rhinos’ form going into Friday’s visit of London Broncos, Sinfield said: “We are missing some quality players in our middle.

“Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Carl Ablett and Dom Crosby are all seasoned players in the middle and none of them has played a game yet this year.

“We’ve lost Stevie Ward, who is one of our best middle-zone players, but there are no excuses from me.

“We will do what we can with the squad, with the hope that some of our young players come through – which they need to do.

“We know we are massively inconsistent, but we are going through a process to change that, be better and improve.

“Beneath the surface the right things are being done.

“The club is back doing the things that brought years of success and this is a transition.

“It is frustrating for everyone involved, but it is not for the lack of hard work or desire.”