Lachie Miller loving it at Leeds Rhinos, says team 'lots of levels to go up' after Castleford Tigers win

“I am enjoying it very much,” Miller - who joined Rhinos in pre-season on a three-year deal - said of his time at Leeds. “My family love it, I love it; I think I’ve come to a really good club and I am pretty blessed to be here. My wife, my son and daughter have really surprised ourselves with how much we enjoy it and hopefully we are here for a while.”

Miller has played in six of Rhinos’ seven competitive games this year, missing only the Betfred Super League defeat at Hull KR because of illness. His best performance so far came in last Thursday’s win at Castleford Tigers, when he bagged a brace of second half tries - his first for Leeds - after an outstanding defensive effort in the opening 40 minutes.

The former Cronulla Sharks and Newcastle Knights man is part of a new spine at Leeds, alongside stand-off Brodie Croft, scrum-half Matt Frawley and hooker Andy Ackers and reckons they are beginning to gel. “I feel a bit more comfortable each week,” Miller added.

“We aren’t silly here, we do know these combinations are going to take time. It was a disappointing exit to St Helens in the Challenge Cup, but it is going to give us time to build these combinations and be really hitting our straps at a good time of the year. We have a lot of levels to go up, I feel.

“Our defence is good, the boys looked good [against Castleford] and I think the firmer ground will suit us when it comes. I can’t wait to see Brodie on some firmer ground and play with him and Ackers and Frawls. It is a really exciting bunch and all really good people. We are just ticking away.”

Miller’s defensive effort at the Jungle pleased him more than his tries. He stressed: “It was nice to score, but we play a team sport. It doesn’t matter who scores, you’ve just got to get the two points. I have just got to focus on my job for the team.

“In the first half they put a lot of grubbers through so I was making sure I was on those and I defused a couple of the high balls they put up. What comes off the back of that is a bonus. I have just got to keep ticking over and doing my job; I know the rest of these boys will do theirs and we’ll keep winning.”

Leeds conceded only one try, late in the game, despite being under heavy pressure throughout the opening period and Miller feels that will boost team confidence going forward. He said: “In the first half they played really good footy and put us where they should be putting us.

“We had five drop-outs, but we have spoken about intent and sticking together - we have got a really good group here - and in that first half we showed it. Our defence was really good, we always felt comfortable - which is good - and in the second half that paid off.”