Agar's agenda - what could be on Leeds Rhinos coach's mind after Challenge Cup final win and before crunch clash with St Helens

They take on in-form champions and league leaders St Helens on Friday in what is an important game for their top-four hopes.

So what might be on Rhinos coach Richard Agar’s mind this week?

1: Pressure. There’s isn’t any on Leeds now. There are three trophies up for grabs this year and Leeds have already won one of them so it has been a successful season. Anything they can achieve from here on is a bonus. However, a top-four spot seemed overly ambitious at the start of the campaign and to manage that after winning the Challenge Cup would be icing on the cake.

2: Workload. The schedule over the final few weeks of the season is brutal. After Friday, Leeds play host to Castleford Tigers on Monday, face Wakefield Trinity at St Helens next Thursday, visit the same opposition three days later and then are due for a second encounter with Cas on Thursday or Friday that week - so four games in 14 or 15 days. Even with close to a fully-fit squad, that is going to be hard to handle.

3: Squad rotation. Agar will already have plans in place and they will almost certainly mean using his full squad. The youngsters have given, against Catalans Dragons and Warrington Wolves, a hint they can handle the step up to Super League level and are likely to get more opportunities. Most clubs are in a similar situation and the four strongest squads will qualify for the play-offs.

4: Managing disappointment. It won’t have been easy telling youngsters Cameron Smith, Tom Holroyd and Jack Walker - along with Luke Briscoe - they had missed the cut for Wembley and must have been an equally tough decision to make. All four have something to offer and it was good to see them involved in the post-match celebrations. Agar will be keen to show they remain firmly in his plans.

5: Satisfaction. It is always good to prove people wrong and - while Leeds still have a long way to go - Agar deserves to spend at least a little time dwelling on the fact he has proved his critics wrong by winning a major trophy.