Hull FC v Leeds Rhinos: Rhyse Martin reveals favourite role, hails teammate, answers question on future

Martin played 80 minutes in the back-row when Rhinos beat Castleford Tigers 32-4 two weeks ago, scoring 20 points - from two tries and six goals - in the process. It was his third successive start as a forward, but he has also made five appearances at centre this year and had to shift there - because of injuries in the backs - on several other occasions.

With Harry Newman and Paul Momirovski now both back after injury, Rhinos have their first-choice centres available for tomorrow’s [Saturday] game at Hull FC and David Fusitu’a’s return to the 21-man squad gives coach Rohan Smith another option in the outside-backs. The team looked better-balanced against Tigers and Martin admitted he felt more at home.

“I think that’s our best team,” he stated. It has been tough with injuries and you have to cover sometimes. Centre’s all right when you’ve got a strong team on the field and you’re playing good footy, but [before the Castleford game] we’ve been up and down and probably a lot further away than we thought. I got back in there and did the job for the team and I think that’s probably where I think we need to keep me at this stage.”

Momirovski’s return allowed Martin to revert to the pack. The Australian former NRL Grand Final winner suffered an ankle injury in Leeds’ win at Hull on April 28 and Martin admitted he was missed during his three-match layoff.

“He has been in the top grade for a long time and he has played for some of the best teams in the world,” he said. “It is good to have him and Harry back. We are getting a few bodies back and it’s good to look for consistency in the team.”

Rhinos are now in a run of matches against teams below them on the table, with Leigh Leopards to come next week and London Broncos in a fortnight’s time, both at home. If Salford Red Devils lose at Warrington on Friday evening, Leeds will travel to Hull knowing a win would lift them into Betfred Super League’s all-important top six.

“Everyone was quite disappointed from the St Helens result and our team performance overall so a big focus was working hard for one another, doing our jobs and keeping each other accountable,” he said of the improvement against Castleford.

“I thought we did that really well. Against Hull, we just need to put in the same performance and build on what we delivered [last time] and get more consistent. We got the fruits and rewards for all the effort everyone was putting in. We did a lot of the small one per centers right and when you do that you put pressure on the other team.”

Martin’s performance against Tigers highlighted his importance to Leeds’ team. He is out of contract at the end of this season and understood to be wanted by teams in Betfred Super League and the NRL, as well as at Leeds. But, speaking after the Castleford game, the Papua New Guinea captain insisted he has “no idea” where he will be playing next year.