Leeds Rhinos kick-off 2022: Richard Agar confident ‘highly-motivated players’ can deliver success

ON THE verge of his fourth season at the helm of Leeds Rhinos, coach Richard Agar believes he is in charge of a “very united, highly-motivated bunch of players”.

The eight-time Super League champions look a far different proposition this year to when Agar took charge midway through 2019. At that stage, they were battling for their Super League lives and form and morale were at a low ebb.

A third relegation scrap in four seasons was a tough starting point for Agar, who – reluctantly – stepped in after David Furner was sacked.

Since then, Rhinos’ squad has been overhauled and only 11 of the 35-strong full-time squad in place at the start of the 2019 campaign are still on the playing roster.

With four big-name recruits – winger David Fusitu’a, half-backs Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer and second-rower James Bentley – having been brought in since the end of last year and a host of talented youngsters beginning to make their mark at the top level, there is a buzz around Headingley this year and the feeling Rhinos are on the verge of regaining their status as one of Super League’s leading lights.

Looking back at how far Leeds have come since his first game in charge – a Challenge Cup defeat at Championship side Bradford Bulls – and what targets have been set for this term, Agar feels it has been a steady progression.

“As can happen, you get the job in difficult circumstances,” he reflected.

“We have hauled ourselves away from the bottom, got ourselves back in the play-offs, won the Challenge Cup and got into the penultimate game last year.

“I don’t think we’ve got a bunch of players who need to sit in a room and write down on a flowchart that they want to win trophies and put it up as a goal.

“I know I have got a bunch of players who want to achieve and are highly motivated.

“What we have got to make sure over the next 20-odd rounds is we put ourselves in a position to do that and – touch wood – we can get our best rugby league out in the Challenge Cup rounds as well.

“I do know I am working with a very united, highly-motivated bunch of players.”

Agar reckons the make-up of Rhinos’ current squad gives their supporters a lot to be excited about.

“We want our fans to be part of it and for them to enjoy what we are about this year and our brand of rugby,” he said.

“I would love to think we have brought four very good players into a squad that is taking shape nicely. I think, when we look at different facets of our team, we have got a good spine, a good middle, some strike and some players who can beat people.

“We have got a terrific nucleus of junior talent who are emerging into first-grade players and our quota of overseas players really add to the team.

“Throughout the squad, we have grown in terms of leadership. We have 12 or 13 guys you could easily stick into those five or six spots we have as the leadership group. We view that as a real positive about how we have developed.”

But nothing is won on paper, or before a ball has been kicked, and Agar warned:

“That said, there’s plenty of clubs who are probably feeling how we are feeling at this stage. The proof will be in the pudding and, like everybody, we want to get off to a good start. Everybody wants to do that and get a win in round one, but you’ll be judged over 27 rounds. Hopefully we can put ourselves in a position so, come September, we are feeling fresh and healthy and able to go forward from where we finished last year.”