Leeds Rhinos: here's what we've learned from pre-season so far

While Rhinos, who visit Warrington Wolves in Betfred Super League round one on Thursday, February 16, have yet to field their strongest side, six new faces have had at least one run out and there has been valuable game time for a number of youngsters at the bottom end of the full-time squad.

Rhinos are back in action at home to Bradford Bulls on Sunday and complete their first team warm-up matches at Hull KR seven days later, though some fringe players could bolster an academy lineup in the away derby against Hunslet four days before the real business begins.

Pre-season started in early-November, but - because of World Cup duties and extended breaks for some players - coach Rohan Smith didn’t get his full squad together until after Christmas.

Smith has not given much away in terms of his plans for the season-proper, but here’s what we’ve learned from the practice games so far.

1: Leeds were beaten 38-20 by Wakefield Trinity on Boxing Day and lost 14-12 at Leigh Leopards last weekend, but results don’t matter in pre-season.

Last year, Rhinos had virtually a clean bill of health, won all their first team trial matches and looked well off the pace - as well as picking up a succession of injuries - when the competitive action got under way.

This time - though there have been some niggles in training, for example to Cameron Smith (calf) and James Bentley (knee) - Rhinos have so far got through their match action unscathed.

Performance-wise, there hasn’t been a lot to take from the two matches. Rhinos have been neither particularly good, nor especially bad.

They have defended well for periods and played some nice rugby, but lacked a finishing touch, which isn’t unexpected at this time.

They have conceded late tries in both matches and lost after being ahead at the break, but changes to the team have been a factor in that.

2: Smith is playing his cards close to his chest. If Warrington coach Daryl Powell has been looking, he won’t have much of an idea what Rhinos’ round one lineup will be.

So far, eight of Rhinos’ top-25 have yet to play and Smith has used the two matches to mix things up, with players out of position and numerous changes throughout the 80 minutes.

For example, most of the outside-backs have switched around, Sam Walters - nominally a second-rower - has played at prop and Zane Tetevano, a front-rower, was on an edge against Leigh.

Most intriguingly, second-rower Morgan Gannon started at stand-off against Wakefield and came on there at Leigh.

Injuries and unavailability have played a part, but Smith is clearly putting a lot of emphasis on versatility.

3: A couple of 19 year olds have caught the eye. Second-rower Leon Ruan, signed from Doncaster, has played well in both matches and three-quarter Luis Roberts impressed against his former club last weekend.

Smith will have been pleased to see prop Tom Holroyd, who didn’t play at all last season, get some minutes under his belt and look sharp and there have been encouraging touches from all the new faces.

The first-choice halves, Blake Austin and Sezer, have played only 40 minutes of the 160, but Leeds looked threatening in attack when they were on the field against Leigh.

4: The first 13 Smith fielded against Leigh was strong, but some of Rhinos’ most influential players have yet to feature.

Harry Newman will be in the side when fully fit, probably with Nene Macdonald in the other centre; player of the year Mikolaj Oledzki is an automatic pick at prop and numbers 11, 12 and 13 - James Bentley, Rhyse Martin and Cameron Smith - haven’t played yet.

Add those players in, or even some of them and the squad looks much stronger. There does appear to be more depth - and versatility - this season.

5: Pre-season has confirmed Smith’s reputation as someone who thinks outside the box.

As well as trying various players in unfamiliar roles, he has described players sticking to one side of the field only as a “blemish on the game” and also expressed unorthodox views on captaincy.

Kruise Leeming was skipper last term and has done the duty in both pre-season games, but his coach clearly doesn’t regard it as a big deal.

Speaking after the match at Leigh, Smith said: “If Kruise did the toss and led the boys out, that’s as good as gold for me - but there was no captain assigned for today. I am not fixed on the one leader model, I don’t know what environment that works best in any more.”