Leeds Rhinos can be serious challengers in Super League says Kevin Sinfield

Rhinos, who begin their campaign against Wakefield Trinity at Emerald Headingley a month today, finished fifth last season and won the Challenge Cup.

“I don’t think in my job you ever end up feeling satisfied,” the director of rugby admitted, but he stressed he and the club have come a long way since he returned to help them through a relegation battle in the summer of 2018.

Sinfield said: “I am really happy with our squad, really happy with our young players and the staff have absolutely done everything they can to help each other and to progress and help us improve.

“Within that, we’ve had some things Covid has thrown at us in regards to budget and finance, but so has every other club.

“I look at where we sit now with some real optimism and think we are capable of mounting a serious challenge this year.”

Sinfield gave himself a personal deadline of three years to turn things around when he rejoined the club from a spell with the RFL.

That will be reached this summer, but he insisted: “My future is not something that’s really important at this stage.”

The former Leeds captain pledged: “What is important to me is that we carry on moving forward, carry on improving.

“We have some wonderful young players in our system and I am also delighted to say we have got some wonderful, world-class players at the top as well.

“When I first came back and I looked at our roster and our [salary] cap, there were some things we needed to address.

“I actually think now the club is in a much better place to move forward, whether that be in 2021 or for the next five-10 years.

“And that’s with all the challenges we’ve had to face.”

But Sinfield added: “What is is fair to say is the board will make a decision down the track and if things don’t go to plan I am not going to wait around and stay here because I just want to earn some cash.

“It has got to be right for everybody.

“When I came back it was because I love the club and that will always remain.

“I will continue to do my best.”

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