Leeds Rhinos coach makes 'enjoy watching us' pledge ahead of Wakefield Trinity Super League start

Rhinos play host to Wakefield Trinity in Betfred Super League round one tomorrow (Saturday) and Arthur said they are determined to send their supporters away happy. Leeds have been slow starters in recent seasons, winning just three of their last nine round one fixtures and were beaten five times in all competitions at AMT Headingley in 2024.

Just one of those losses was under Arthur, in his first home game as coach and he reckons tomorrow has double importance. “It helps with confidence,” Arthur said of making a winning start.

“Any early wins you can get in the season are ones you’re not chasing later in the year. Also, it’s at our home ground and that has got to be important for us. Our home fans need to enjoy coming here and enjoy watching us play. I think our home ground is probably the biggest factor for this week.”

Rhinos beat Wakefield and Wigan Warriors in pre-season before opening their competitive campaign with a 92-0 Challenge Cup hammering of non-league Wests Warriors last week and Arthur insisted they are ready to play a tough game. “I don’t think we could do much more,” he stated.

“We’ve had a lot of training and three hit-outs, now we need to get out on the field and actually do it. We worked hard in pre-season, but the hard work really begins now, in round one.”

Outlining what he wants from his team, Arthur added: “I want to see us go to another level from what we did in the matches against Wakefield and Wigan, with our physicality and effort. Our team identity hasn’t changed in terms of what I was trying to build when I got here for the last 10 games last year.

“I want the team to be in control of the choices they make around our effort and physicality. There’s not a lot of skill required for those areas, it’s more around want and desire. That will give us an opportunity for our football to come to the front, but that’s what we need to be about - owning those choices.

“It is going to be tough at times and at times it’s going to feel like it’s coming to them pretty easy in games, but then it’s about finding that extra effort and being disciplined with it. There’s going to be plenty of times when we are under the pump and we need to find it then as well.”

Trinity’s 2024 campaign didn’t end until mid-October so they have had a shorter pre-season, but a big win over Castleford Tigers in a warm-up game, plus last Saturday’s 82-0 Cup defeat of Goole Vikings, suggests they are in good shape. “They’ve strengthened in the middle, added some forwards who didn’t play against us [on Boxing Day],” Arthur observed.

“They move the ball a lot and test you. They chance their hand and play a lot of footy, so defensively we are going to have to be good. We’re going to have to be aware of them shifting from one side of the field to another.”