Agar's agenda: 6 issues for Leeds Rhinos boss to address this week
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
1: Discipline. Rhinos conceded 11 penalties and received only five. A run of penalties against them at the start of the second half proved particularly costly, swinging the momentum back in Hull’s favour after Leeds had an early chance. Being marched 10 metres for dissent took one of those into kicking range and that sort of thing is unacceptable.
2: The middle. Hull’s pack was too strong and, with Ava Seumanufagai missing through injury and only one prop on the bench, Rhinos couldn’t stop their big men going forward or make enough metres themselves.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad3: The bench. See above, Adam Cuthbertson was the only specialist prop among Rhinos’ substitutes, alongside a half-back/hooker and two back-rowers. Rhinos need Seumanufagai and Dom Crosby in their 17 as quickly as possible.


4: Rhyse Martin’s passport. The Australian-born forward has applied for Papua New Guinea credentials, which would open half a place on Rhinos’ overseas quota, adding to the half a spot created by Nathaniel Peteru’s off-season exit. Then Rhinos can look to bring in a big forward from the NRL.
5: Konrad Hurrell’s head knock. The big centre was concussed in the first half and did not return. The full week’s turnaround should give him a chance of being fit for Sunday’s game at Huddersfield, but Rhinos are already without Tom Briscoe and don’t have a great deal of depth in the outside-backs so there’ll be a gap to fill if he doesn’t make it.
6: Better finishing. Rhinos created a couple of early chances against Hull and had three other touchdowns ruled out following video referee checks. Had Ash Handley scored in the opening moments or Brad Dwyer and/or Luke Gale either side of half-time it might have been a different story. Agar will be encouraged his team managed to carve out some opportunities, but in Super League, against good opposition, they have to be taken.