Leeds Rhinos boss Richard Agar wary of threat from ‘dangerous’ Leigh Centurions

Leeds, hunting a third successive victory, are on a short turnaround and likely to be without up to a dozen senior players because of injuries, suspensions or coronavirus.

Agar reckons Leigh are a better team than their record suggests and he warned: “I know they’ve had a couple of heavy defeats, but they’ve gone close and been in games for long periods.

“They are really prepared to use the ball so they’ll ask you questions shifting the ball and on short sides, they have got some really potent players in the backs, so it is a dangerous game.”

Rhinos are backing up four days after a 38-12 win at Salford Red Devils, but Agar admitted that came at a cost.

“Clearly last week has hurt us,” he said.

“We’ve lost Konrad [Hurrell, to concussion], the three suspended and Richie Myler [who has a finger injury], so we’ll lose five from last week’s team, which was a team under the pump because of Covid and other things.

“It just seems to be different challenges every week that are getting thrown in front of us and I think our squad are trying to handle it magnificently.”

Leeds are back in action at Warrington Wolves on Monday, followed four days later by a home clash with Catalans Dragons, but Agar accepts their problems are not unique.

“We’ve seen it throughout the league,” he said. “Other teams have been hurt by Covid issues, calling games off and we are no different, but it is a tricky game.

“Also, factor in the fact it’ll be Matt Prior, Mik Oledzki and Kruise Leeming’s third game in seven days, which really shouldn’t be happening.

“Again, we’ll have 11 or 12 out and clearly there’s some very high calibre players unavailable to us this week, but we will patch a side together and make sure it is a competitive one.”

The positive for Rhinos is they will go into the game in good form.

Agar said: “There is a strong collective spirit, we are still in there and we played pretty well for large parts of the game last weekend.”