Leeds Rhinos ace' Rhyse Martin hoping for fans' return to Super League this season

Betfred Super League is expected to begin behind closed doors, on March 25, but hopes are high spectators could be allowed back into stadiums early in the forthcoming campaign.

Leeds have not played in front of a crowd since demolishing Toronto Wolfpack 66-12 on March 5 last year and Martin is “excited” at the prospect of getting supporters back, reckoning fans will lift the quality of rugby on show.

“I think last season was tough on everyone to get through, just the unpredictable games and everyone trying to work through it and get the season completed,” the goal kicking second-rower said.

“Hopefully this year is as per schedule and every week you know who you’re playing and we don’t have any Covid issues and we get fans back.”

Martin insisted: “It will be great if we can get back to where it was, it was awesome playing in front of a crowd and definitely tough towards the back end of last season when you were going into crucial games and there’s no one in the stadiums.

“Hopefully everything goes back to normal this season. I think everything’s heading in the right direction at the moment, that we can have that, so fingers crossed. I am sick of playing in an empty stadium, that’s for sure.”

Martin joined Leeds, from Canterbury Bulldogs, on a two and a half year contract in June, 2019.

This is the final season of that deal, but he insisted: “My manager is sorting it out at the moment.

“We are just seeing what’s happening, I am not too fussed at the moment. You have to get through pre-season and get the body right, get fit and healthy and then let your footy do the talking and everything rolls off the back of that.”

Martin insisted he is happy at Rhinos.

“It has been great,” he said of his time at the club so far, which included winning the Challenge Cup at Wembley last October.

“It has been a good year and a half, really enjoyable.

“We have got a really good squad here and coaching staff.

“Everyone in the place is good to work with so I have enjoyed it.”

Martin was born in Cairns, in the tropical north of Queensland, Australia, where the temperature did not drop below 25 degrees celsius (77 degrees fahrenheit) yesterday, so this pre-season has taken him out of his comfort zone.

“It’s nice to look at, but terrible to train in,” he said of the recent snow.

“Last year it only snowed once and I don’t think we trained that day.

“When it snowed maybe a month ago, that was my first session and it was horrible.

“My hands were frozen and when my hands get cold I struggle big time.

“Hopefully we get a summer like last year and it’s beautiful weather to play in.

“I am looking forward to it, I was saying to Brad Dwyer I can’t wait for summer - I need the sun and I need a tan too.

“He was into me, saying I look sick and pale!”

Martin captained Papua New Guinea when they beat Great Britain in 2019 and is set to be a key member of their squad at this autumn’s World Cup.

He qualifies for the Kumuls through his father and reckons this year’s tournament more open than ones in the past.

“One thing we’ve seen over the last couple of years is all the smaller nations are getting some decent teams and performing,” he observed.

“It is going to be one of the best World Cups, I think and you might not see Australia and New Zealand or England in a final.

“It is going to be exciting, I think - definitely unpredictable because a lot of the nations have got top squads and players.

“It will be a great one.”

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