Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhinos - we need to start turning things around vows Konrad Hurrell

Last week’s defeat at Hull KR was his first hit-out since November, 2020 and the centre was clearly rusty, but is confident better times are ahead.

“Obviously I hadn’t played for a while and I was blowing in the first 20 minutes, but then I found my way in,” he recalled.

Hurrell admitted: “I was a bit sore after the game - it felt like I had been playing for about 600 games - but it was good just to get through the first one.

“The more games I play, the better I’ll get. I am just trying to improve every week, even at training - I am trying to train as best I can.”

A calf muscle injury kept Hurrell out of Leeds first four competitive games this season and he stressed: “It is good to be back, but obviously it was a very disappointing loss.

“I guess that is just the rollercoaster you have got to ride sometimes in footy.

“We had a tough couple of days, after the way we played, but we have tried to use that as motivation heading into this weekend.”

Rhinos have won only once this year, against Wakefield Trinity in their opening Betfred Super League fixture and are on a run of four successive defeats.

Sunday’s hosts Huddersfield Giants have been in similar form; they have yet to pick up a Super League victory but did win at Leigh Centurions in the Challenge Cup.

Despite that, Hurrell warned: “They are a very strong team, a very good team.

“They have just been losing by a few points and last week against St Helens they nearly beat them.

“I guess their team is coming along well, but I think at the moment we just need to look at ourselves and not worry about the other team.

“We just have to worry about ourselves and try and get our team to where we should be.

“Obviously we have only got one win this year so we need to start turning it around and we need to do it soon.

“I know it’s only round five, but we need to start getting points on the table.”

Hurrell was one of five players to return last week, but Cameron Smith was ruled out before the game, Alex Sutcliffe damaged a knee and Richie Myler picked up a two-match suspension.

Hurrell conceded that makes things hard, but insisted: “At the same time, we need to find a way to find a win.

“Hopefully in the next few weeks we will get our full team back, but in the meantime we all have faith in each other.

“Everyone who is in the team deserves to be there if the coach picks them so hopefully this week we can get a win .

“The boys have been playing well, even though we haven’t got our full strength-team and I guess when we get the full-strength team we will be better.”

Hurrell has spotted one silver lining to Rhinos’ injury criis.

He said: “A positive is seeing the young players coming in and trying to prove themselves, to say they are good enough to wear the jersey and to perform every week.

“It is good to see the young boys coming up and doing that.”

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