'I've really bought in': Leeds Rhinos star Andy Ackers excited for Super League debut v Salford Red Devils

Andy Ackers is tackled during Leeds Rhinos' pre-season win over Hull KR earlier this month. Picture by Steve Riding.

The 30-year-old’s competitive Leeds Rhinos debut comes in the Betfred Super League round one clash with his previous club Salford Red Devils. He isn’t shy about admitting what that will mean to him, but equally determined not to get caught up in the occasion.

“I’m really excited,” Ackers - who was a member of England’s World Cup squad two years ago - said. “It has been a week of mixed emotions, but I’ve taken all that away and just been myself; come in, worked hard with the boys and now I’m looking forward to it on Friday.”

Despite being only four months into his Rhinos career, Ackers already feels right at home. “I’ve sung the praises of the whole squad throughout pre-season,” he said. “I’m impressed by how professional everybody in the squad is, they’ve all got their extras in and there’s a real good buzz around the place.

New signing Andy Ackers says he has been welcomed into Leeds Rhinos' squad and already feels at home head of his debut against Salford Red Devils on Friday. Picture by James Hardisty.

“I’ve made friends pretty quick and I care for them and want to play for them. There’s a good camaraderie around the whole squad and coaching staff so it’s somewhere I am proud to play. I feel 100 per cent part of it, it feels like I have been here years.

“That might just be me as a person - I fit in quite well and form friendships quickly because I care for people. I care for everybody here, everybody has been welcoming and it has been a successful pre-season. It has been a long 14 weeks and tough, but I have really bought in and I’ll be a really proud person on Friday night when I pull that shirt on.”

From a team perspective, after a series of slow starts in recent seasons Rhinos need to get off on the right foot this time, but Ackers insisted they aren’t looking past this week. He pledged: “If you take all that pressure and all the expectations off and just take it week by week, you start to enjoy it a lot more.

“If you’re thinking ‘we’ve got to win, we’ve got mto perform for the fans, we’ve got to do this’, you’re putting so much pressure on yourself that you can’t control. All you can control is yourself and the part you can add to the team. You’ve got to take it day by day, be ready for the game and control what we can on Friday. If every player gives 100 per cent of themselves, I’m sure we won’t go far wrong.”

Friday will be only the second time in his professional career Ackers has lined up against former teammates. He remembered: “I played against London Broncos after I’d signed for Toronto. It didn’t go to plan that day so hopefully this week won’t replicate that. I am just focussing on myself and the team and hopefully we’ll put it all into practice.”

While he may have “mixed emotions”, Ackers insisted there are no divided loyalties. “I’ve got some good mates, best mates, there [at Salford],” he reflected. “I am still mates with the coaching staff, but you have got to put all that behind you and do what’s best for your current club, which is Leeds Rhinos. It is a club I am really proud to play for. I’ll get my heritage number on Friday as well and that will be a really proud moment for me and my family.”

Banter with his old club has been off the agenda this week, Ackers added: “I’ve turned my phone off, deleted social media and I won’t speak to any of them until after the game,” he stressed. “We’ll be friends again afterwards, but I am dedicated to Leeds Rhinos now.”

Salford are third favourites for the wooden spoon this year, with the bookies tipping only promoted London and last season’s 11th-placed side Castleford Tigers to finish below them. But that’s familiar territory for the Red Devils who have defied expectations in recent seasons and their old boy isn’t listening to what he described as “outside noise”.

“That’s just perception of fans and others,” he stated. “It will be a great encounter for rugby league on Friday night, kicking it off with a bang. There will be a lot of emotion for the team, but personally I am going to take that out of it and just be me and focus everything on the team. If I can add my part to the team, that’s a bonus for me. I’m not going to force anything and I’ll play with my experience. I know how it is now and what I have to do, so I’ll just be myself.”