What a job he has done - super-sub Brad Dwyer pays tribute to Leeds Rhinos coach Richard Agar ahead of Coral Challenge Cup final

Rhinos will appear in their first major final since 2017 when they take on Salford Red Devils at Wembley this afternoon.

Leeds have not been in a Coral Challenge Cup decider since they last won the trophy five years ago and when Agar took charge in May, 2019, the club was at one of its lowest ebbs.

After being knocked out of the Challenge Cup by Bradford Bulls in Agar’s first game as coach, Rhinos have improved steadily and, as well as being in today’s final, they are fifth in Betfred Super League and pushing for a play-offs place.

“He has been great,” Dwyer said of Agar’s influence on the Leeds team and culture. “He has just got the boys believing in each other, given us a reason to play for each other and he’s really down to earth.

“You can have a conversation with him, that’s all we want really. Everyone will agree he has really grasped the Leeds way of playing over the years; he wants us to play a certain way - expansive and entertaining - and I think we have.”

Dwyer also played under Agar at Warrington. He added: “It’s great working with Rich, I’ve got a really good relationship with him.

“I got on with him at Warrington and we kept in touch when he left there.

“He had a big influence on me coming to Leeds, he put my foot in the door really.”

Agar was coach at Warrington under head of rugby Tony Smith and Dwyer feels he did not get the credit he deserved for the job he did there.

“I remember at the end of our time at Warrington - we both left at the same time- and there was a lot of talk about who was going to coach them,” he said.

“I think Rich copped a lot of the blame from fans when he really stood up that last year and was really good as a coach. I had lot of respect for him for that.

“They were on about bringing an Aussie in and Warrington were unsure about whether Rich would stay. He said to me he wouldn’t mind a crack at it as he thought he could do it.

“A few years down the line he has ended up coaching again and what a job he’s done with us.”

Dwyer has thrived under Agar’s coaching, despite a setback when he contracted coronavirus last month.

He returned in the semi-final win over Wigan Warriors two weeks ago, but admitted: “It has been difficult, it has had an impact on the lungs.

“I was probably getting tired quicker in the first couple of games, but I’m more or less back up to how I was before the Covid now.”

Describing the lingering impact of the virus, Dwyer - a Challenge Cup runner-up with Hull in 2016 - recalled: “There is a bit of pain and neural stuff that I struggled with.

“The best way to explain it is I felt like I’d done 80 minutes and 50 tackles, when against Wigan I only did 20 minutes and a few tackles.

“There’s been some soreness after training and games, but hopefully over that all now.

“It won’t affect me in a Cup final, put it that way.”

After that scare, running on to the field at Wembley this afternoon will be a bonus.

“I’m really glad to be part of it again,” Dwyer stressed.

“Everyone has had a difficult year so to be involved in a Challenge Cup final - even if it is a bit different, being behind closed doors - is something I’m really looking forward to.”