"I want to lift trophies": Rob Lui has big ambitions for Leeds Rhinos

New-look Rhinos kick-off their Betfred Super League campaign at home to Hull on Sunday as the second part of a double-header which also features Castleford Tigers against newly-promoted Toronto Wolfpack.

After finishing eighth last year, Rhinos - the eight-time champions - are desperate to avoid a fourth relegation battle in five seasons.

The competition is particularly strong, with last year’s runaway leaders St Helens having retained all their 2019 squad and leading rivals - including Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves and Hull - all having strengthened.

League sponsors Betfred rate Rhinos - having parted company with 11 players who turned out for them last year and brought five in - as 11/1 fifth favourites to win October’s Grand Final.

But Lui, signed from Salford Red Devils last summer, insisted: “We have got all the right people in all the right places - halves, full-back, in the middle and hooker - and we are all fighting for spots.”

Part of a fresh half-back pairing, alongside former Man of Steel Luke Gale, the Aussie vowed: “I just want to win something.

“I have been playing for a while and I want to lift trophies.

“I want to take Leeds back to where they belong, at the top.

“I think I can, but it is not up to me, it is the whole squad.

“I believe in every one of them and I think we will be good this year, but it all starts this week.

“We can’t look forward, we have to take it week-by-week.”

Lui has been training since early November and said pre-season has been “long, but good”.

He said: “It is done now and we’re into round one.

“It’s a good test against FC, but I think we need to start well.

“We have just got to give it our all because if you start well, you end up finishing well too.

“I think we have a lot to play for this year, with the likes of Rob [Burrow, the former Rhinos player battling motor neurone disease] and the new team.

“Galey has got something to prove and so have I.

“I think you will see a different Leeds team, that has started from the top and our young players too are pushing for spots.”

Hull have added size and power to their squad since finishing sixth in Super League last year.

“They have got a big forward pack,” Lui warned.

“They have big backs and smart halves and hooker.

“We have got to stick to our game plan and make our tackles - we have got to keep it simple.

“We have to tackle and get to the end of our sets.

“It may sound simple, but it’s hard to do.

“If we do that I think we’ll be good.”

A full house of more than 19,000 is expected at Emerald Headingley.

Wolfpack have shifted their home game against Tigers to Leeds because the winter weather in Toronto makes it impossible to stage games there at the start of the season.

“I am looking forward to the double-header,” Lui added.

“I think it is good for the game and Toronto coming in is good for English rugby league.

“A lot of good players have come over from the NRL this year - there’s [James Maloney], Sonny Bill [Williams], Aidan Sezar at Huddersfield.

“Every team is getting better and it is going to be a good comp so it’s down to how we start.

“We can’t dip our toe early. We have got to grind our way to a win, that’s the most important thing.”