Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhinos: Nobody's guaranteed a place says Rohan Smith as his side chase third straight win

Smith has confirmed centre Harry Newman will play for the second time this year, after recovering from hamstring surgery.

That is likely to mean a move back into the second-row for Rhyse Martin, to replace head injury victim Morgan Gannon.

Other changes are also possible, with Alex Mellor back in the initial squad after a chest injury and Sam Walters, Jack Broadbent and Corey Johnson also in contention.

Leeds produced their best performance of the season when they won 40-4 at Warrington Wolves last week, but Smith pledged he will select the best lineup for each challenge.

“We pick the team one week at a time,” he said.

“At the moment there’s a lot of versatility within our group, which I love - the fact people can play different positions.”

Smith added: “We had changes last week from the week before - two different back-rowers - and things flowed.

“We practice with everyone getting a turn, not just the ones who are playing.

“Everyone should be able to fit in and I think that’s important for rhythm as the season goes.

“You can’t just depend on the same people playing all the time, it is going to be a squad effort to perform well on a weekly basis.

Rhinos ran in eight tries against Warrington and conceded one, but Smith feels they can play better.

“It’s just a matter of going there and doing what we’ve been working on and being who we want to be as a team,” he added of today’s match,

“We have shown some signs of being clear and demonstrating our identity as a team.

“We are not happy with some aspects of what we’ve shown recently so we are working hard to add to what we’ve been happy with as well.”

Fourth-placed Giants are on the back of an outstanding 22-14 win at Catalans Dragons last week, which came just six days after their Challenge Cup final defeat by Wigan Warriors.

They are without several of their most influential players, including half-back Theo Fages, prop Chris Hill and captain/loose-forward Luke Yates, but Smith warned: “Every team is its own unique challenge each week.

“They are clearly a strong team, well-coached, they play with good teamwork and it looks like there’s a great deal of belief.

“There’s a good mixture of experience and some younger players as well.

“It will be a fierce battle, [that’s what] I am hoping for.”

Smith reckons former Rhinos player Tui Lolohea, at full-back and hooker Danny Levi, who he coached at his previous club Norths Devils, will be among Giants’ dangermen.

“Tui Lolohea has had a lot of try assists and a lot of their unpredictable stuff comes through him,” he noted.

“But they are very much a team. They play with good chemistry and good discipline and they are happy to work hard for everything they get.

“We look forward to challenging them in that aspect of the game.

“They have got a quality dummy-half, Danny Levi is an exceptional dummy-half so that’s a real threat we have to be aware of.”

Rhinos will be without former Giants half-back Aidan Sezer for the ninth successive game, but Smith revealed he could return when Rhinos resume their Super League campaign following a break for next week’s mid-season international.

A groin injury has kept Sezer out of action since Rhinos’ Betfred Challenge Cup final loss to Castleford Tigers in March and Smith confirmed: “He is really close.

“He is not ready this week, but we’d imagine he’s likely to be in contention for St Helens in a couple of weeks’ time.”