Leeds Knights coach Ryan Aldridge expects long 'grind' with Milton Keynes Lightning double-header stiffest test yet
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The Leeds Knights’ head coach leads his team into a weekend double-header with Milton Keynes Lightning expecting them to face their toughest test yet.
The Knights remain the only team with a 100 per cent record in NIHL National, meaning the size of the target on their backs is probably even bigger than it was at the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign, one which they started out as reigning league and play-off champions.
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Hide AdAldridge believes winning the 2022-23 regular season championship, followed by the post-season triumph, took a lot out of his team and he expects it to be even harder this time around.
![LONG SEASON AHEAD: Leeds Knights' head coach, Ryan Aldridge, expects a tough 2023-24 campaign. Picture: Knights Media/Jacob Lowe.](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmE5ODhjNjg4LWNiMGEtNDA5Zi1iOGJmLTNhYTFlNzAyOWU4Yjo5MmRmYjY0MC1mMDQ3LTRlNjktYTc4Yy1hNDUwMTViZTE5NzM=.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
![LONG SEASON AHEAD: Leeds Knights' head coach, Ryan Aldridge, expects a tough 2023-24 campaign. Picture: Knights Media/Jacob Lowe.](/img/placeholder.png)
“It’s going to be another hard season,” said Aldridge. “It will be for whichever team wins it.
“It is going to be a long, hard grind - everyone wants to take you down because you’re the champions, or you’re the top of the league - that’s why it is such a grind.
“Winning is hard. Winning a championship is hard and it took a lot out of us last year. But we’re a very different group this year, so we have to find what we’re good at and play our style and get comfortable in that.”
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Hide AdAhead of a first meeting of the season against the Lightning - whose only defeat in four games came at home to a much-improved Hull Seahawks team, Aldridge added: “I think Milton Keynes are the deepest team in the league, maybe only Swindon can come close to them in that respect.
![CHAMPIONS: Leeds Knights were pushed all the way last season on their way to becoming league and play-off champions - coach Ryan Aldridge expects another tough campaign in 2023-24.](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjJkYzNhMGZjLTg2YjMtNGUyMC1iYmFlLWYzYWU4NGIyZDQ0MTpkMWQwYzNiZC1mZjU4LTRiNGEtOTU0MC0wMmEzNmY1NDQ5OWY=.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
![CHAMPIONS: Leeds Knights were pushed all the way last season on their way to becoming league and play-off champions - coach Ryan Aldridge expects another tough campaign in 2023-24.](/img/placeholder.png)
"They have a very deep line-up, very experienced - lots of players with plenty of quality right through the line-up.”
Tim Wallace’s team will hope to put home advantage to good use on Saturday night and leapfrog current leaders Leeds as a result, coming into the game on the back of an impressive 6-2 win at temporarily homeless Swindon Wildcats.
Aldridge is convinced the Lightning – who along with Peterborough Phantoms pushed the Knights close for the vast majority of last season – will again be there or thereabouts come the business end of the season.
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Hide Ad"They are going to be a team that’s fighting for a championship I would imagine and it’s a massive test for us this weekend – it will be interesting to see how we respond to it,” added Aldridge.
“And I think ending last season with no silverware will have hurt them somewhat. The team they had last year, I think they should have got something out of that and I’m sure they’re going to want to change that this year.”