'We can't complain' - Leeds Rhinos stand-off Rob Lui refuses to stress over looming fixture pile-up

Rhinos have 11 Betfred Super League fixtures to play before the end of the regular season on November 12/13. They face Hull KR at Warrington tomorrow - with a 2.45pm kick-off - and are at home to Catalans Dragons next Wednesday. Just three days after that they take on Wigan Warriors in a Coral Challenge Cup semi-final at the start of what could be eight games in 30 days.

It’s a tough prospect, but Lui insisted they will roll their sleeves up and get stuck in.

“It is what it is,” he said. “We have got to catch up these games. We have had five months off, so three games in 10 days, we can’t really complain about it - we have just got to get it done.

“We get paid to play and it gives the opportunity for young boys to come in. We want to win all our games, but we have got to start with the first game first, against Hull KR, then we will go from there.”

Lui reckons Rhinos’ playing group is strong enough to cope.

“We have got a good squad,” he added. “I am looking forward to seeing them [young players].

“We have got a good young core here coming through, with the likes of Cal [Callum McLelland] and Harry Newman.

“Hopefully we’ll get Jack [Walker] back soon and he’ll get some game time and even the ones who haven’t been playing. It is going to be interesting what happens, but I think we have just got to focus on Hull KR and go from there.”

Tomorrow’s game is a rematch of last Friday’s Coral Challenge Cup quarter-final which Rhinos won 48-18, after leading 30-0 at half-time.

Hull KR are second from bottom on the table, with only Wakefield Trinity below them, but their last two league matches were a win over Wigan and an extra-time defeat to champions and table-toppers St Helens.

Lui predicted: “I think they will know what they are in for against us and I think we know they are better than how they played last weekend and that scoreline.

“It is going to be a tough game and a different game. It is going to come down to us focusing on the little things we are doing here.

“We can’t focus on Hull KR, what they bring, because they play a different style of footy. It is a bit different playing against the same team just a week later, but we will take the challenge and we know they are going to be up for a game this week.”

Rhinos are on a three-game winning run, coinciding with Lui’s return to the team after two matches on the injury list.

He admitted he found the going tough immediately after the coronavirus shutdown, but feels he is starting to get back to where he needs to be. He conceded: “Coming in for the Huddersfield game I felt a bit slow, not fit.

“It was hard because I’ve never had five or six months off footy, ever.

“For the likes of myself and a few other boys, we like to work hard in pre-season and go from there.

“But we didn’t really have much of a pre-season and it was hard to motivate through the pandemic, especially when you don’t know what’s happening.

“I have got kids so I have got to keep them busy, but I feel I am getting better and better each week.

“It doesn’t help when we’re not playing every week, but I am happy - I am playing rugby league and I am sure the fans are enjoying it too, watching.”

Meanwhile, all last week’s 17 have been named in Rhinos’ initial squad for tomorrow, along with Brett Ferres, Adam Cuthbertson, Jarrod O’Connor and Josh Walters.

Rhinos have confirmed Brad Dwyer was the player who tested positive for coronavirus last week and Konrad Hurrell, Bodene Thompson and youngster Corey Hall are also isolating after being identified on track and trace.

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