Leeds Rhinos fans can be extra man against Hull FC at Headingley says Derrell Olpherts
Three-quarter Derrell Olpherts says home fans can be an extra man for Leeds Rhinos in Friday’s clash with Hull.
Hull have won at Headingley in each of the past four seasons, including a 31-8 victory 12 months ago which was one of six successive home games without a win for Rhinos from the start of that campaign.
However, Leeds are unbeaten at home since last April, a sequence which began with a draw against Huddersfield Giants and was followed by eight wins.
That run culminated in a last-gasp 14-8 success against Castleford in September to seal fifth place on the Betfred Super League table.
Olpherts was on the other side that afternoon and knows what effect support from the terraces can have.
“It’s hopefully going to be a packed house at Headingley Stadium and we’re hoping they are going to be the 14th man on the field for us and push us on,” he said of this week’s home opener.
“It is going to be a different experience for me, coming out on the other side. I am really looking forward to it, I can’t wait.”
Leeds will need to be much better than they were in last Thursday’s 42-10 round one defeat at Warrington Wolves, which came after they trailed 30-0 at half-time.
Olpherts insisted: “We’re all very disappointed with how that game went and we’re looking to change things this Friday.
“No leagues or trophies are won in round one so there’s plenty of time and we haven’t given too much thought to who we are playing, we are just concentrating on ourselves.
“If we play how we can play, we will get the job done. There’s an element of looking at what the other team’s going to throw at us, but we’ll just worry about ourselves and our own game and delivering a good 80 minute performance because we were nowhere near our potential last week.
“I think it’s just important to win, regardless of the score or anything else. We just want the two points, that’s what you play for.”
Despite the opening result, Olpherts - who signed a two-year contract last autumn - said he is “loving” his time at Leeds.
“I can’t complain, I could not be at a better club - the players, coaching staff, everything,” he stated.
“I’ve not had the experience before of being at a top, top club like this and I am soaking it all up and trying to do the best I can for them.”
The 18 tries he scored last year were one of the factors behind Rhinos’ swoop to sign the 31-year-old back.
He continued that prolific form with Leeds’ opening try last week and will be one of the hosts’ main attacking threats against Hull, but said the result is more important than individual accolades.
“I don’t think any of us played particularly well,” he admitted. “It doesn’t really mean anything, scoring tries - you want to be winning games. That’s the main focus, I wouldn’t be bothered if I didn’t score, I’d rather us win.”