Leeds Rhinos talking points: important lessons learned from dismal pre-season loss at Hull KR
Leeds Rhinos will go into Betfred Super League on the back of a poor performance and heavy defeat in their final practice game, away to Hull KR.
The 26-4 loss was Leeds’ third in four warm-up matches, their only win coming against Championship side Bradford Bulls.
It wasn’t the way coach Rohan Smith or his players would have wanted their pre-season campaign to end and they have 10 days to put things right before a tough round one game at Warrington Wolves on Thursday, February 16. Here’s five talking points.
1: The result at Craven Park was unimportant, but fans would have been hoping for a positive performance and didn’t get one. Leeds were never in the game and ended comprehensively beaten by a team who defended well, but made plenty of mistakes. Without a big improvement, it will be a long night at Warrington.
2: That said, pre-season is all about learning and getting better and it’s easier to do that from a poor performance than a good one. Rhinos won all their pre-season games last year, then managed one victory from their opening 10 competitive matches. What has happened over the last few weeks won’t count for much when the real business begins.
3: There weren’t many positives from the Hull KR game, but one was the second try in successive matches by Leon Ruan, which prevented Rhinos being nilled. The teenage second-rower has been arguably Leeds’ most eye-catching performer in pre-season and that does bode well for the future.
4: Rhinos lacked cohesion against the Robins and their ball retention was poor. There’s been a focus on players in unfamiliar positions and spreading game time around and that has contributed to Leeds scoring only 11 pre-season tries, seven of them before half-time. They have conceded 18.
5: Especially with Harry Newman and Nene Macdonald already ruled out of round one, Derrell Olpherts’ fitness is important. He missed the final two trials and if he’s not back, it could mean a competitive debut for Luis Roberts - who has done well in pre-season, but is inexperienced at Super League level - or Rhyse Martin moving out of the pack to play at centre.