'We are going okay': but Leeds Rhinos aren't where they want to be Rohan Smith admits before Hull FC clash

Rhinos have won half their eight Betfred Super League games and will bid to complete back-to-back victories for only the second time this season when they face Hull FC at Headingley on Friday.

They will be aiming to pick up from where they left off in the second-half of last Sunday’s dramatic 18-17 defeat of Huddersfield Giants and Smith insisted Rhinos are “going okay”.

Leeds’ coach - who will be up against his uncle Tony Smith, the Hull boss - said: “Our best games have been pretty good, but not where we think they can be; our worst games haven’t been that bad.

“We have been difficult to beat, in all but one game out of eight, so there’s a consistency to that.”

Hull have suffered six successive defeats since a 22-18 win at Headingley in round two and are second from bottom in the table.

Smith stressed Rhinos have taken lessons from that game and won’t be reading anything into Hull’s recent poor form.

We let ourselves down on a few occasions,” he said of February’s meeting. “Defensively we lacked a bit of connection and their willingness to play - as all of Tony’s teams have over the years, when they see an opportunity there’s a green light to throw the pass - created a few more opportunities than we’d have liked.

“They were able to execute that, which is the biggest thing we can learn from that game. We had them under some pressure early on and didn’t take our chances.

“We made some poor choices close to our line when we probably needed to exploit some space on the edges, but that game feels like a long time ago and it’s a new one this week.”

Hull are on the back of a 40-0 derby drubbing by Hull KR on Good Friday and will be without several key players through injury or suspension.

Smith warned: “Obviously they’ve had a difficult time of it recently, but they put a lot of energy into games.

“We have spoken about when teams are playing with energy and trying hard, things can turn.

“It’s our job to make that difficult for them, at least match them for energy and not open any windows or doors for them to look in.”

On a personal note, the Rhinos coach could square the ledger after Tony Smith went one up in the previous encounter.

“We haven’t been in touch this week,” he stated. “We had a few messages last week, but not this week. We will have a good catch up on Friday after the game.”