Leeds Rhinos talking points: too many errors, top-6 jitters & a positive from loss at Wakefield Trinity
Leeds Rhinos’ season could still go either way.
Rhinostalkingpoints25-7They’ve beaten all their rivals, other than Catalans Dragons this year, so are capable of making an impact in the Betfred Super League play-offs, but need to get there first. After outstanding form in May and June, their campaign has hit a speed bump in recent weeks and the 15-14 loss at Wakefield Trinity was a tough one to take. Here’s five talking points.
1: Give us a break. The split round is a strange concept, but has come at a good time for Leeds Rhinos. Betfred Super League round 20 is being played over two weekends, with the final three games contested next Thursday and Friday.
That means Jake Connor has time to complete the concussion protocol before Leeds visit Leigh Leopards on Thursday, August 7. It also gives the likes of Morgan Gannon, Mikolaj Oledzki and Morgan Gannon a bit of extra time to get over their injuries, but the players who are fit will also benefit from the break.
Rhinos have six ever-presents - Harry Newman, Ash Handley, Keenan Palasia, James McDonnell, Sam Lisone and Connor - at this late stage of the campaign and most of those have got through big minutes. Two weeks to refresh before a huge four-pointer at Leigh - to begin the most crucial spell of the season - is very welcome.
2: Too many errors. The game at Wakefield showed how far Leeds have come and the amount of work still to be done. Rhinos are a long way ahead of where they were 12 months ago in terms of spirit, determination and resilience. At Belle Vue, their defence, under heavy pressure, was outstanding and they managed to score from both of their only real opportunities.
But, Leeds were the most error-prone side in Super League last year and, after an improvement at the start of the season, that failing is letting them down again. They continually turned over possession to Wakefield with basic errors, poorly-chosen passes or offloads and, simply, the inability to hang on to the ball. It’s a frustrating watch, because when they get it right, they are a good team, but in 240 of the last 320 minutes they’ve played, their attack hasn’t fired at all.
3: Top-six race. Realistically, Thursday’s defeat means second place is probably out of reach now and Rhinos have a fight on their hands to secure a home play-off. Even sixth spot isn’t guaranteed, with both Wakefield and Hull FC now within touching distance.
Rhinos have seven games left and three of those are against teams above them in the table, Leigh, Hull KR and Wigan Warriors and they also visit Hull. If they lose all those, it will get nervy - but games at Castleford Tigers and Huddersfield Giants plus a home match with Catalans should see them get there. Most importantly, it is in Rhinos’ hands, though - after their good run in May and June - finishing fifth or sixth would feel like an anti-climax.
4: New rivalry. This year could be the start of a fierce rivalry. Rhinos had intense competition with Bradford Bulls in the 2000s and Castleford Tigers during the 2010s, but Wakefield have become their latest arch-foes. In three meetings, Trinity have won twice - home and away - but there was nothing between two evenly-matched, well-coached sides.
Remarkably, Rhinos’ four-point success at AMT Headingley meant they edged the trilogy on aggregate, 48-47, Wakefield’s wins coming by two and one points.
The past gulf in Super League status has meant Rhinos fans might have regarded Trinity as an irrelevance, having won 46 of the teams’ 62 meetings in the competition. That’s not the case now and with a combined attendance of around 40,000 across the three games, it’s a good thing for both clubs.
5: One positive. Not to put too much pressure on him, but Presley Cassell is the most exciting prospect to come through Rhinos’ system for years. Having got a taste of Super League in the win over Salford Red Devils, the 18-year-old forward played a full part against Wakefield, getting around 50 minutes across two spells.
Physically, he is already capable of matching much more experienced rivals, he runs hard and isn’t afraid to get stuck in. Leeds are low on first-choice forwards at the moment, but that has given Cassell his opportunity. And as anyone who has watched Rhinos’ academy or reserves this year will know, there’s more young talent where he came from.