'Anything less than the treble is failure': Leeds Rhinos fans' high hopes as Super League returns

Wakefield Trinity will pose a much sterner challenge at AMT Headingley in Betfred Super League round one on Saturday, but the YEP’s Rhinos fans jury are in upbeat mood - with one predicting, or at least hoping for, a clean sweep of trophies. Here they reflect on last weekend’s game and look forward to seeing what coach Brad Arthur’s new-look team can do against top-flight opposition.

GAVIN MILLER

Buoyed by a walkover victory in the Challenge Cup, Leeds enter the Super League season with a spring in their step and looking forward to a routine opening victory against the minnows from West Yorkshire in Wakefield Trinity. Headingley awaits for Wakey, an absolute treat for them away from their - despite the new stand - ramshackled home. No walk through a graveyard for away fans and a good view for all.

It’s a new season, new hope, new players. Hang on, I wrote that last season … going into a season with hope, so how about going into this one with some realism? This season is absolutely must not fail; the team and coaching structure has been redone and the coach backed after correctly dismantling the sham of a team Rohan Smith had assembled. Brad Arthur has brought in players of much higher quality. Smith’s team was appalling, the players simply not good enough. Arthur would have us believe this team is much better equipped to win Super League, so that’s my prediction and expectation…league Leaders, Grand Final winners and a Challenge Cup completing the treble. Any less will be seen as failure. Good luck Leeds.

IAIN SHARP

The potential banana skin of southern amateurs Wests Warriors was successfully negotiated in Leeds’ first Challenge Cup outing this year. Much has been said about the introduction of Super League teams at this stage of the competition and the potential of a top-flight team being drawn against an amateur side. There was also the seeding concept of all Super League teams being drawn away from home. In the end, safety reasons meant the game couldn’t take place in west London and it was moved to a half-open Headingley.

Not one of the Wests Warriors team or fans would have shied away from the experience of playing on one of the most historic grounds in the country or against one of the best sides. I know the original concept would have been for a Super League side to go up against one of the semi-pro lower league teams, but in true RL fashion and after only one season of trying it, there are already cries to bin the idea.

Rather than scrap it totally, there needs to be some tweaks for next season and perhaps there should be better provision in place for a Super League side drawing amateur opposition, without the lower-ranked team having to negate home advantage and swap the game to the Super League ground. It would have been great for Wests to take on Leeds somewhere in west London. The immediate downside would likely be having to hire a suitable venue and the cost that might impose on a team run on a shoestring, with the possibility of any money they might make being swallowed up with costs to actually get the game on in their locality.

Once the switch was arranged, I know Leeds did a great job in terms of hospitality and accommodating the ‘home’ team and the fans that turned out will give Wests a real

financial boost. In a week that saw Sky wrongly plug the opening round of Super League fixtures a week early, during its darts coverage, the BBC equally excelled itself with the usual shamateur standard of RL coverage. It claimed throughout the Wests-Leeds game that it was taking place at the Twyford Avenue Sports Ground, rather than Headingley.

Finally, the phoney war is over and Saturday sees the resumption of ‘domestic hostilities’ with the start of the League season proper and the visit of Wakefield to HQ. The gloves will be off and we will see how good the new players are and how much work Brad Arthur has done to improve the team. I can’t wait.

DAVID MUHL

It was a strange experience watching the match from the North Stand rather than my usual South Stand spot. I won’t be moving permanently any time soon. I joined a sparse crowd of just over 1,300 to watch Leeds put on the expected try fest. Credit to Warriors, they kept trying to the end and put on one or two good bits of play. Their short kick-offs in the second half caused Leeds problems, something I’m sure Brad Arthur will resolve.

In what was really an opposed training session, no one particularly shone, although Sam Lisone and Ryan Hall bagged a hat-trick each. It was good to see young Alfie Edgell back, showing no problem signs following his broken jaw. Jake Connor continued to prove me wrong (I was part of the Connor will be no good for us brigade) with a try and 14 goals. There was a worry with young Jack Sinfield going off with an ankle injury, but the signs are it’s just a bruise, so fingers crossed.

Brad used the injury to Sinny to see how the boys fared with being down to 12 men - a good idea but hopefully not something we’ll need. Despite the scoreline the Warriors seemed to have a good time and enjoyed the experience. Their supporters certainly did. We’re in the next round of the cup and suffered no major injuries and that’s really all that matters. It’s a pity there wasn’t a bigger crowd, the absentees missed a fun afternoon.

This week against Trinity will be a much harder test and I’m really looking forward to seeing how we go. It should be good, the first game of the season always brings a good crowd and with Wakey being the opposition, it should be a belter. Roll on Super League.

BECKY OXLEY

Though 92-0 is probably the result everyone expected, a little community club from London had the day of their lives and made memories to last a lifetime. It was nice to see a strong Rhinos team giving the game the respect it deserved. It was played in good spirits and all credit to Wests.

I think we’ve definitely got our kicker for the season in Jake Connor who has fitted in nicely to kicking duties. I thought it would be hard to find someone to follow on from the likes of Rhyse Martin and Kev Sinfield, but it’s seamless and I think Jake has certainly silenced a lot of the Rhinos fans who were critical of us signing him

Wakey are next in the first Super League game of the season and what a cracker it should be - local derby, big crowd and a great game. It will be tough and close. Wakefield aren’t going to be a pushover this season for anyone, but I think we will also show what we have and come away with the two points. Here’s to Super League 30 - can it be the year of the Rhinos?

TOM GOLDSWORTHY

In a result that surprised nobody, Leeds Rhinos ran in 16 tries against amateur side Wests Warriors and progressed to the next round of the Cup. I don’t think there is much that can be said about the performance, due to the standard of the opposition. It was the thrashing most expected and Leeds were very thorough in getting the job done.

However, it was pleasing to see us live up to the pre-match expectations, as I feel under previous leadership we might have taken our foot off the gas and given them too much respect. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come under Brad Arthur and he’s returning us to our ruthless, winning ways.

I believe the new format of the Challenge Cup was a success, despite no amateur side winning. It will have provided an excellent opportunity for them to play against professional sides and the boost to finances will be much needed. If the game is to grow, I think this is a step in the right direction to boost grassroots rugby league.

Looking ahead to the Wakefield game, I can’t see anything other than a comfortable home win. If we are to achieve anything this year, home wins are a must so it’s time for the squad to set the standard, especially against a newly-promoted side. The squad is looking better than it has done in years and, after a full pre-season with a quality head coach, it’s good to go into the first game with high expectations, not just wishful thinking.