Leeds Rhinos can be so much better if they fix major flaw: latest talking points

Perhaps Leeds Rhinos’ most realistic chance for silverware this year has gone following last week’s defeat at St Helens and, with a couple of tough games coming up, they need a big improvement to stay in touch with the early Betfred Super League pacesetters. Here’s five talking points.

1: Rhinos’ habit of clocking off for brief spells in games and conceding a flurry of quick-fire points is a flaw which threatens to wreck their season. In Super League round one, Wakefield Trinity scored tries on 22, 26 and 32 minutes to take the score from 0-0 to 14-0 en-route to a 14-12 victory and in the 38-24 win over Castleford Tigers, Rhinos led 38-6 and then conceded touchdowns after 70, 75 and 78.

Last Friday, what was developing into a tense contest was blown apart when Saints scored tries in the 48th, 53rd and 56th minutes, going from a nervy 6-2 ahead to being comfortable at 22-6. For much of this season, Leeds have been pretty good. They were on a par with, if not better than, Saints for probably an hour, but it’s an 80-minute game and Leeds aren’t going to achieve anything until they can perform at a consistent level throughout.

It’s frustrating, because there are some positive signs, particularly defensively. At times they score good tries, but aren’t doing enough of that and when the bad habits of last season - errors and penalties - set in, things fall apart.

Basic skill is letting them down on occasions, but it seems to be more a concentration thing: sticking to the game plan and reacting positively when things go against them. They have that in them, as they showed during the win at Salford Red Devils in Super League round two. They just need to be more consistent.

2: Some of Rhinos’ issues on attack are understandable. They’ve been unfortunate with injuries to influential players this term, Andy Ackers’ hamstring problem suffered against Saints being the latest.

In six competitive games, including the Cup romp against amateurs Wests Warriors, Rhinos have had two different starting full-backs, three combinations in the halves and a trio of loose-forwards. All that chopping and changing isn’t their fault, but doesn’t help. However, Leeds have a good squad and a wily, experienced coach; if they can build some settled combinations, they have the potential to be much better than they have been so far.

3: It’s probably unfair to say the season is over in March, but it has been a disappointing start. The Challenge Cup has gone for another year and Rhinos’ sole objective now is a top-six finish in the league.

Realistically, Leeds have failed their big tests in 2025, losing to a fired-up Wakefield in round one, suffering yet another shutout at Catalans Dragons and coming up short against Saints. The two top-flight teams they’ve beaten - Salford and Castleford - have a total of one win between them and that was when they played each other. Victory every other week will mean they are there or thereabouts for the play-offs at the end of the year, but Leeds have managed to win three successive matches only once since the start of last season, which isn’t good enough. Still, there’s a long way to go and if Rhinos were to pick up maximum points from their next two - against Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves - the outlook would suddenly look a lot brighter going into meetings with Salford and Huddersfield Giants.

4: Famously, between 2007 and 2011 Leeds played St Helens in four Grand Finals and won them all. At the time, it was probably the fiercest rivalry in the European game, but over the past eight seasons, a gulf has opened up between the teams.

Since 2018, they’ve faced each other 18 times and Saints have won 17. For clubs of similar status and resources, that’s an appalling statistic. Last Friday was the first of at least four meetings between the clubs this year, including at Magic Weekend in Super League round 10. Unless Rhinos break out of that slump, it’ll be six precious points lost which could have a huge bearing on their campaign.

5: Aside from the Cup exit, it has been a momentous few days for Rhinos, with Gary Hetherington announcing he will stand down at the end of this season, after 29 years as chief executive. Without the takeover by Hetherington and chairman Paul Caddick in 1996, the club wouldn’t have won all the trophies it has, probably wouldn’t still be at Headingley and might not even exist. Hetherington has divided fans’ opinion at times, but he is one of the most influential figures in Leeds Rugby League’s history and everyone associated with the club should wish him well.