Leeds Rhinos significantly boosted their playoff hopes with a 34-6 win over Huddersfield Giants last night. Head coach Brad Arthur has shared his thoughts on the club’s chances of securing a spot in the top six.
The match against Huddersfield Giants was considered a must-win for Leeds Rhinos, and they delivered with a 34-6 victory, scoring six tries and closing the gap to within two points of the top six.
Despite the substantial win, head coach Brad Arthur was critical of his team’s performance. In his post-game media briefing, he pointed out some of the “dumb” plays that occurred during the match.
Arthur explained: “I don’t think we were very smart at times, and our execution wasn’t great. We’re still a long way from where I’d like us to be, but I thought we showed plenty of character.”
One of the major talking points from the game was when Sam Lisone carried the ball into contact with his elbow seemingly raised. The incident was put on report but went unpunished. Arthur mentioned in his post-game press conference that he needed to see a replay to assess the situation further.
Can Leeds Rhinos make the Super League playoffs?
Credit: Imago Images
Under Brad Arthur, the Rhinos have now secured one win from two games, following a late defeat to Hull KR last week. With eight games remaining and just two points to make up, Arthur has shared his thoughts on their chances of breaking into the top six.
Arthur noted, “The good thing is that we’re facing teams who also need the points. While some see that as a negative, I see it as a positive because if we can take points off them, that’s points they don’t get.”
Over the next four weeks, the Rhinos will have the chance to claim points from their playoff rivals, playing against teams currently in the top six, including two crucial matches against their closest competitors, Salford Red Devils and Catalans Dragons.
Arthur added, “We know what we need to do and where we need to finish, but we have to ensure we’re better from the start. There were things we did tonight that were really good and others we’re not happy with. We need to improve again next week, and if our performance is good enough to keep winning, we’ll see where it takes us.”
Next week, they face Salford Red Devils away, with a win potentially lifting them into the top six, depending on the outcome of Salford’s match against Castleford Tigers tomorrow.