Wakefield Trinity double-header cuts Leeds Rhinos boss' workload

There is one positive for Leeds Rhinos coach Richard Agar from the crowded Betfred Super League fixture list.
Richard Agar has not had to arrange separate review and preview sessions this week.Richard Agar has not had to arrange separate review and preview sessions this week.
Richard Agar has not had to arrange separate review and preview sessions this week.

Rhinos take on Wakefield Trinity in a ‘home’ game at St Helens this evening (Thursday) and travel to Mobile Rocket Stadium, Belle Vue, for a rematch on Sunday.

And Agar said: “It has saved us a bit of work, in a period where we’ve got six games in 18 days.

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“Review and preview become one and obviously there’s a lot of familiarity”

Brad Dwyer, front and Cameron Smith could both play their third game in seven days.Brad Dwyer, front and Cameron Smith could both play their third game in seven days.
Brad Dwyer, front and Cameron Smith could both play their third game in seven days.

“Our week at the moment is play, day off, team run, play; play, day off, team run, play.

“Our ability to do our preparation has suffered and diminished because of that.”

Rhinos’ derby win over Castleford three days ago came at a cost with four Leeds players being told to isolate after 12 members of Tigers’ camp tested positive for coronavirus.

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Despite that setback, Agar insisted he will field a competitive squad in both games against Trinity.

“We will just give it our best shot, whatever the situation is,” he vowed.

“We will look at the freshness of our squad [for Sunday], see who is fit to play and get out there and do our best.”

Rhinos were due to face Wakefield at the start of last month, but that was postponed because of a coronavirus outbreak in the Trinity camp.

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Following a run of 10 straight defeats, Trinity are on the back of successive wins which came after a national newspaper alleged coach Chris Chester was facing a players’ revolt.

Agar said: “They are on a roll.

“They have had a tough period and whoever planted that newspaper story has done us no favours at all, it seems to have definitely sparked them up a bit.

“I think they are going to have a strong, very competitive team out there.

“I have seen some games where they’ve tried really hard and their effort has been good and they have come up a bit short, but it was definitely their best performance of the season last weekend.

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“Their mindset will probably have changed a bit, but we are concentrating on ourselves.

“We feel with one trophy under our belt and a strong chance of making the play-offs, we still have loads to play for.

“We have suffered some disappointing news, but I think we have got a team and squad with plenty of character and we are going to give it our best shot.”

Agar has not revised his initial 21-man squad, which was unchanged from the win over Tigers, but players will be drafted in today to replace the ones stood down.

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Trinity are without Tony Gigot (elbow) and Matty Ashurst (ankle) from the side which beat Hull KR on Sunday.

Captain Jacob Miller could return from injury and Joe Westerman, Jack Croft, Yusuf Adin, Connor Bailey and Innes Senior are also in contention for a recall.

Leeds Rhinos: from J Walker, T Briscoe, Hurrell, Handley, Lui, Gale, Seumanufagai, Leeming, Prior, Mellor, Martin, Dwyer, L Sutcliffe, Myler, Oledzki, Thompson, Smith, L Briscoe, Donaldson, A Sutcliffe, Holroyd.Wakefield Trinity: from Johnstone, Tupou, Lyne, Jones-Bishop, Miller, Fifita, K Wood, Arona, Westerman, Batchelor, Tangata, Crowther, Jowitt,, Croft, B Walker, Hampshire, Aydin, Bailey, Tanginoa, Senior, Battye.

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).

Kick-off: Today, 5.30pm at TW Stadium, St Helens.

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