Leeds Rhinos talking points: no need to fear St Helens, marvellous Rhyse Martin, Lewis Jones tribute

Coach Rohan Smith’s side have won three of their opening four Betfred Super League matches, making this their best start to a season since 2020. In Ash Handley, they have the reigning Super League player of the month and his touchdown in the round one defeat of Salford Red Devils was voted the competition’s best in February. The next two games, though, will give an indication of whether Rhinos can challenge for honours this season. Here’s five talking points.

1: Double trouble

Iestyn Harris, their captain at Wembley a quarter of a century ago, didn’t do Rhinos a favour when he drew them against St Helens in the Betfred Challenge Cup sixth round. The tie means the sides will meet at AMT Headingley in successive weeks, following this Friday’s Super League clash.

It was probably the hardest tie Leeds could have faced. Saints away would have been tough enough, but at least they won there in the league last season. Rhinos haven’t beaten the Merseyside outfit in Leeds since 2017, when they did it twice.

It will be the 12th time in the summer era Leeds have faced the same opposition in successive Cup/league meetings (or vice-versa). For what it’s worth, of those previous back-to-back showdowns, Leeds have won both seven times, lost both twice and the honours have been split on two occasions, including last year against Wigan Warriors.

2: Fun to watch

The next two games won’t make or break Rhinos’ season, but we will know a little more about the current side when the final whistle blows in the Challenge Cup tie. Saints are daunting opposition who have set the standard in recent seasons, but if Leeds have aspirations to be back among the honours they have to beat teams like that.

Rhinos should go into this week’s showdown in a confident mood, after back-to-back wins against Catalans Dragons and Leigh. They were contrasting performances, but showed some qualities which, if put together consistently, could take them a long way.

A tremendous defensive display downed Catalans and at Leigh, Rhinos didn’t play well for much of the game, but their never-say-die spirit was impressive and when they got an attacking roll on, they were almost impossible to stop.

Saints’ defensive record - 32 points conceded in four matches - is outstanding and they’ve also scored 26 more than Leeds. Rhinos have been far from perfect so far this year, but they are doing a lot of things well show signs of developing into a team who will be fun to watch. There’s no need to fear Saints, Rhinos need to treat the next two weeks as an opportunity to put down a marker.

3: Rhyse Martin

The Papua New Guinean second-row is perhaps the most underrated player in Super League. As well as being a remarkably consistent goal kicker, the 31-year-old is versatile - he featured mainly at centre in 2023 - and durable, having played 24, 26 and 28 games in the last three seasons.

He was superb in the second half fightback at Leigh, scoring the try which got Leeds on the board and being involved in both of Ash Handley’s touchdowns. Rhinos have received justified criticism of their recruitment in recent years, but Martin - who joined them from Canterbury Bulldogs during the 2019 season - is right up there with the club’s best overseas recruits in the summer era.

4: Discipline

Rhinos’ discipline needs to improve on the road. In two away games this season, they have conceded 23 penalties and been awarded eight. At home, they’ve been awarded 17 and conceded 10.

In four rounds they’ve also received five yellow cards - three of them in away games - and had a trio of players banned. Five of the seven sin-binnings of opposing players have been at AMT Headingley.

Leigh felt Leeds could have had four yellows last week, but referee Chris Kendall - working with his video assistant Ben Thaler - got it right by keeping the game as 13 versus 13 for the most part. Justin Sangare was banished late on, but that was for persistent team offending and it was good to see common sense applied to how relatively minor foul play was handled.

5: Lewis Jones

Whatever the result, this Friday will be an emotional night at Headingley as Rhinos commemorate the life and career of Lewis Jones, one of the greatest players in their - and rugby league’s - history.

Jones, who was 92 when he passed away last week following a short illness, rarely missed a Leeds home match and was at the round one win against Salford Red Devils less than a month ago.

On March 30 it will be 60 years since Jones played his last game for Leeds - against Halifax at Headingley - but you’d have a tough job persuading anyone who saw him at his peak that he wasn’t the finest to ever wear blue and amber.

Kevin Sinfield has eclipsed many of Jones’ club records but in the 1956-57 season the Welshman scored an astonishing 431 points - from 33 three-point tries and 166 goals - and that will (almost certainly) never be beaten.

The Lewis Jones Suite at Headingley was named in the great man’s honour, but the time has come for an even more fitting tribute. A statue at the ground he graced for so many years - from 1952-64 as a player and since the early 1970s as a fan - would be a fitting way to remember a unique talent.