Leeds Rhinos boss explains why Andy Ackers & Cooper Jenkins won't play v St Helens, insists 'they get it'
Coach Brad Arthur has revealed his message to players currently being left out of Leeds Rhinos’ 17.
Rhinos have a virtually fully-fit squad ahead of tomorrow’s (Friday) Betfred Super League round 15 game at St Helens. Arthur confirmed Rhinos will be unchanged from last week’s 36-12 win against Warrington Wolves, so Andy Ackers and Cooper Jenkins will play in the reserves’ derby with Wakefield Trinity at AMT Headingley this evening.
The pair featured in the second-string last week – when prop Jenkins dropped down from the senior side and hooker Ackers made his comeback after three months on the injury list – and Arthur insisted: “I think they get it and they understand.” Arthur told his weekly preview press conference today: “They know they have still got a role to play in the team and things can change in our game so quickly. I think they get that.
“The only thing they can control is how they respond and their attitude to what they do. They don’t get to pick the team and they can play as good as they like and still miss out on selection.
“It’s just keeping those guys engaged and making sure they understand they still have a big role in this team and that things can happen and change at the drop of a hat. If you get an opportunity, make sure you are ready to go - that’s the message I keep pushing with them.”
Ackers got through 80 minutes for the reserves last Saturday, but Arthur stressed he’s not ready to do the same at senior level. He said: “He has been out for an extended period and it is hard to come back in when you’ve been out that long, especially as the way we want to play our hooker at the moment is 80 minutes. He is still a couple of weeks away from being able to do that and it would be unfair to try and ask him to do that at the moment and unfair on the rest of the team.
“I’ve had these conversations with Andy and he knows where he stands. It would be very unfair on Jarrod [O’Connor who is the incumbent hooker] too. He has been one of our better players. When we’ve had blokes out, we’ve focused on the guys who are actually in the team and the opportunities they get and them strengthening our squad. Jarrod is one of those guys; he has warmed to it, he has taken the opportunity and he has got to make sure he does everything in his power not to give it back.”
Jenkins also played in last week’s curtain-raiser, before being 18th man for the Super League game. “Cooper was very good for us last week,” Arthur said. “He understands it is about minutes and getting some running volume into his legs.
“He has been getting 15-20 minutes off the bench and I thought these [reserve] games were two good opportunities to get 60-odd minutes in and to start pushing for another spot in the 17, because he has done a really good job for us when he has been in. It is fortunate for me - and unfortunate for some of them - that we’ve got everyone healthy.”