Leeds Rhinos Jury: Robins ripe for roasting if Rhinos' opening game is anything to go by

Our fans' panel look back to Leeds Rhinos victory over Warrington and ahead to tonight's '˜Clash' against Hull KR.
Richie Myler.Richie Myler.
Richie Myler.

ADAM ANDERSON

I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season really for Leeds Rhinos at Warrington Wolves.

Richie Myler showed his class and what he will bring to this team. Jack Walker showed everything that he has been learning in pre-season and his defence was unbelievable.

Jack Walker.Jack Walker.
Jack Walker.
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Everyone showed up at a place we normally struggle. A Shout out for Brett Delaney and JJB, the veterans in the squad who looked fitter than ever.

Onwards to Hull KR tonight, the trip to Elland Road, which will seem very weird for many of us.

The atmosphere will be electric and I’m sure Hull KR will bring a number of fans over from East Yorkshire.

I am also looking forward to seeing former captain Danny McGuire and how he fares versus his old friends.

Danny McGuire.Danny McGuire.
Danny McGuire.
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McGuire will get a outstanding reception when he comes out to the field and probably will if he scores, really, unless it’s the winning try of course.

This is our final test before the World Club Challenge so I expect a good performance from the lads.

DIANNE HALL

A good start to the season, with a long overdue win at Warrington. On a bitterly cold night, it was heartwarming to see the new half-back combination work so well; Joel Moon and Richie Myler looked like they had played together for longer than just the pre-season.

Jack Walker.Jack Walker.
Jack Walker.

All the new recruits fitted in seamlessly with the remaining old guard, who looked like they had a new lease of life, tackling like their lives depended on it, and one of them, JJB, opening the scoring!

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It was nice to see Brett Delaney play so well after his hit-and-miss season last year. My biggest worry is the number of penalties we conceded, which let Warrington back into the game. A better side might have punished us more if not for the outstanding goal-line defence. Another concern for me is the goalkicking of Kallum Watkins. I hope that, with time and more practice, he will be more successful.

Jack Walker was my man of the match with a mature performance from such a young man.

Next, The Clash and the return of Danny McGuire!

Danny McGuire.Danny McGuire.
Danny McGuire.

MATT FOWLER

As starts go, I would say that was rather satisfactory. A long-overdue win at Warrington and very well deserved in my opinion.

Richie Myler looked assured and managed the game well and Tom Briscoe was back to somewhere near his best, running the ball strongly and looking for work.

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The defence was excellent, the offence looked a little rusty, but the intent to get the ball quickly out wide was heartening.

This week we head to Elland Road, which gives the game a little extra twist.

Hull Kingston Rovers were beaten soundly in round one and Rhinos legend Danny McGuire will want to put on a good show against his old mates.

It will be very strange seeing him in the red of Hull KR but there is no room for sentiment; we have a World Club game the following week and our offence needs to show some teeth.

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I am hoping we can kick on from last week and fine-tune our attack and our discipline. Penalties will be punished heavily in Australia so we must get that right now. Enjoy the game.

CHRISTINE KIDD

Super League 2018 started with a deserved win at a very cold and windy Warrington.

There was a good, positive attitude from all the players, with the Rhinos in control for the majority of the game.

Rhinos’ new faces slotted in well. Richie Myler had a good game, with one of his kicks leading to Ryan Hall’s first try. Brad Dwyer came on just before half-time and performed well. Nathaniel Peteru showed some promise during his time on the pitch.

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Leeds’ goal-line defence was very good with a number of Warrington players being held up over the line during the game.

Jack Walker was the standout performer for Leeds and I don’t envy Brian McDermott the headache of deciding who is going to play full-back each week.

Tonight Rhinos take on newly promoted Hull KR, including ex-Rhino Danny McGuire, at Elland Road. It will be a big surprise if this isn’t another two points for Leeds but the players need another good, positive performance before they get on the plane to Australia for the World Club Challenge.

IAN SHARP

I’d bet not many people would have had Jamie Jones-Buchanan, as the opening try scorer on Thursday night at Warrington, never mind being the first to score in the defence of our Super League crown.

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At one end of the pitch we saw him leaping like a salmon to catch Joel Moon’s kick and touch down; on the other end of the scale we had Wolves’ Ryan Atkins doing the best belly flop since Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National!

It was a tight game – we should have won by 12 not four – but a good start to the campaign.

Tonight’s game has been branded as The Clash and, to be honest, it’s a promoted side that took a spanking last week to Wakefield and it’s only the fact Mags is back that’s creating all the hype.

It has been hyped up as a ‘big game’. I think it’s clever marketing to bump up the pound notes.

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Yes, Mags could direct KR around the pitch like a five-star general, like he did in last year’s Grand Final, but they don’t have the players to back him up.

It should be an easy Leeds win, for me.

GRAHAM POULTER

Well that was an impressive, steady performance on opening night from the champions.

Everyone who played from one to 17 impressed, more so defensively which will be definitely needed when we come up against the clinical, ruthless attack Melbourne Storm are bound to throw at us in Australia. The Moon-Myler partnership showed some promising signs, and our forward pack impressed; good, solid, hard drives and hit-’em-hard tackles.

Richie Myler will benefit from the off-loads that Adam Cuthbertson will feed him, which will free up Joel Moon to be the creator.

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So, on to our second Thursday-night game this time against Hull KR and the return of Danny McGuire. He will need watching closely as he will be their main man and he will be out to do us damage as we all know what he has in his locker.

There should be a good crowd at Elland Road.

I’m confident that we will win quite convincingly which will send us to Melbourne in good form and high on confidence. I predict us to win by 20 points. Come on Leeds Rhinos!