'Couldn't catch a cold': latest Leeds Rhinos talking points after backwards step at Hull KR

With a quarter of the Betfred Super League campaign completed, their record reads: lost, lost, won, won, lost, won, lost.

The latest defeat, at rain-lashed Hull KR, was a step back after an excellent victory over previously unbeaten Catalans Dragons six days earlier and April’s fixtures - home to Huddersfield Giants and Hull FC and away at Leigh Leopards - are crucial to their play-off aspirations. Here’s five talking points.

1: One of the criticisms levelled at Leeds Rhinos on social media after the Hull KR game was they “couldn’t catch a cold”.

It would be ironic if players were ruled out of this week’s match because they did exactly that.

Conditions at Sewell Group Craven Park, which is a windswept venue at the best of times, were awful, but that’s hardly unusual in England at this time of year and Rhinos needed to be better.

Defending the deep end in the first-half, Leeds didn’t cope. Rovers’ Jordan Abdull is an outstanding attacking kicker and once he scented blood, he was on Rhinos - in particular full-back Luke Hooley and left-wing Derrell Olpherts - like a shark.

When they had the elements in their favour after the break, the first thing Rhinos did was concede in ludicrous fashion.

After that they managed to create a couple of tries from kicks of their own, both by Aidan Sezer, but never caused Rovers anything like the problems Abdull inflicted.

In the, now long gone, golden era, Leeds were masters of wet weather rugby. A Challenge Cup tie at Hull FC in 2015 was a perfect example. Sadly, they no longer have that adaptability, individually or as a team.

2: It wasn’t actually the first-half kicks that sunk Rhinos, it was the one at the very start of the second.

Leeds, who hit back from 14 points down six days earlier against Catalans, were still in the game, but needed to score first.

When they let Hull KR regain possession from Abdull’s kick off and then conceded after just 18 seconds, it clearly wasn’t going to be their night.

They scored early enough themselves to make a game of it, but errors, set restarts and penalties let the Robins off the hook and the eight-point final margin flattered Rhinos.

3: Since 2015, poor starts to the year have become par for the course for Leeds and they are actually four points better off than at this stage last season.

But what’s frustrating is the fact Rhinos have shown they can be so much better. So far they’ve had three really bad defeats (at Warrington, Castleford and Hull KR), two outstanding wins (at St Helens, home to Catalans), lost one game they should have won (home to Hull FC) and picked up a routine victory against Wakefield Trinity at Headingley.

The wins over Saints and Catalans showed what they are capable of, but it’s no good beating the top teams and losing to ones below or around you.

Rhinos have shown no consistency so far. Unless that changes soon they will have nuisance value this year, sometimes able to upset teams who are going well, but that’s all and scraping into the top-six is probably the best they can hope for.

4: There’s no disguising the fact it was a baptism of fire in Hooley’s Rhinos - and long-awaited Super League - debut.

He was called up at short notice, just one reserve game into his comeback from an ankle injury and had a torrid time.

But the former Batley Bulldogs man was one of the most talented prospects outside the top division before signing for Leeds and a poor debut doesn’t mean he’s not good enough.

As coach Rohan Smith said after the match, it’s how he responds that counts. Last season Wakefield’s Lewis Murphy had a miserable debut against Leeds, his coach Willie Poching kept faith and a year later he was linked with a move to the NRL.

Hooley replaced Richie Myler who was on paternity leave and Olpherts took over from Nene Macdonald (calf muscle injury).

It seems Rhinos are fated never to have a full-strength squad available and David Fusitu’a injury, suffered at Hull KR, is a setback for the team and him personally, in the final year of his contract.

5: Smith wanted a three-quarter on the bench - and rightly so as it turned out - so Luis Roberts was recalled, but prop Sam Walters was unfortunate to be left out, as he was at Castleford two weeks earlier.

He’s out of contract this autumn, as is winger Liam Tindall who has yet to feature in 2023. Tindall is getting to the stage where he needs regular first team rugby, at Leeds or somewhere else and, though he’s young for a prop at 22, the same applies to Walters.

It would be good to see them both get a sustained run of games to show what they are capable of and injuries in the outside-backs might give Tindall that chance.