Leeds Rhinos talking points: On the up, baffling bans and Sunday best

After the worst start to a campaign in their history, securing top-flight survival with five games in hand and climbing into the play-off positions for the first time this year is something of an achievement.

Here’s five talking points ahead of Friday’s four-pointer at Hull KR.

1: The table is so tight, Rhinos could yet finish anywhere between fifth and ninth, though third and 11th aren’t mathematically impossible. Three of Rhinos’ remaining games are against teams above them in the table, but on current form at least four - all but the home clash with Huddersfield Giants - look very winnable.

2: Friday’s fixture at Danny McGuire-coached Hull KR won’t be easy, particularly with three more players suspended, but one of the impressive things about Rhinos under coach Rohan Smith is the way supposedly-fringe players have slotted into the team. Most of the recent wins have come without Kruise Leeming, Blake Austin and Matt Prior, a trio of the squad’s most influential figures.

3: Judged on the number of suspensions handed out, Rhinos have by far the worst disciplinary record in Super League. What makes that particularly strange is Rhinos are the third-least penalised team in the competition, behind only St Helens and Hull KR. Against Salford they received 10 penalties, five set restarts and no cards to Salford’s five, three and one, yet Leeds picked up three bans and the visitors just a caution.

4: After Leeds’ strong start, Salford threw a lot at them and a few months ago they would have crumbled. Surviving that and then finishing strongly was a credit to the players’ fitness and desire. If they’d shown similar resilience at the start of the year, they’d be competing for a top-four spot.

5: There is a much more positive feel around the club now. Smiles are back on faces and the atmosphere at the past two home games has been electric. Family day might have helped, but a season’s-best crowd of 14,668 for Salford’s visit suggested there is an appetite for at least some Sunday afternoon rugby at Headingley.