Leeds Rhinos' Lachie Miller talks 'stepping stone' win v St Helens & Magic Weekend Spiderman try celebration
On-song full-back Lachie Miller reckons Leeds Rhinos’ Magic Weekend victory is a “stepping stone” for the rest of the season.
Miller scored the second try and booted two goals from four attempts as Rhinos beat St Helens 17-4 at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. It was Leeds’ third win in four games and only the second time they had beaten Saints in 20 attempts.
The two points meant Rhinos ended day one of Magic Weekend in fourth spot on the table, up two places from the previous round and the Australian feels coach Brad Arthur’s influence is paying off. “We’ve all bought into what Brad’s brought in,” Miller said.
“We were lucky enough to have him for the last 10 games of last year, which definitely helped us. I feel like everyone’s on the same page, we know what to do and it’s just about executing it now. We are doing that at times and sometimes we are letting it slip, but we are in a good place and I feel [Saturday] is a really good stepping stone to kick on for the rest of the season.”
Rhinos led 10-0 at half-time, but were put under heavy pressure early in the second period after Saints pulled a try back. Miller reflected: “It was tough. I felt like we definitely made it hard on ourselves, but we kept turning up. We have focussed a lot on our defence and I thought it was really good at times, especially when they made line breaks - we were getting back for each other. We put ourselves in a position to win and we followed through with it, which was really pleasing.”
Rhinos moved the ball around in the opening 40, before errors crept into their game. Miller enjoyed their expansive style of play, but admitted: “We didn’t really know when to rein it in, which is a bit disappointing. We will learn from that and there’ll maybe be some more expansive games.”
Miller’s try raised £180 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, in memory of late Rhinos legend Rob Burrow. Super League sponsors Betfred donated that sum to the charity for every try celebration across Magic Weekend and explaining the Spiderman gesture after his touchdown, Miller said: “My son is old enough to know what footy is now so I asked him ‘if I score a try what do you want me to do’? He said the Spiderman and do it to make him proud, so that’s why I did it.”
Of the Magic experience, he added: “It was packed out when we got out there for kick-off, it was buzzing. The fans were really good on both sides, lots of singing and the pitch was immaculate, so it was good.”
Rhinos’ men have no game next weekend, when Super League pauses for the Challenge Cup semi-finals. They return to action at home to Hull FC on Friday, May 16, when Ryan Hall, Brodie Croft and Cameron Smith could all be back in contention after injury.