Leeds Rhinos news: old boy Rhyse Martin warns of 'massive threat' in Headingley return with Hull KR
Having scored 1,054 points for Leeds Rhinos from 2019-2024, Hull KR’s goal-kicking forward Rhyse Martin is preparing for his first game at AMT Headingley as an away player.
The 2020 Challenge Cup winner missed the Robins’ 20-14 success there in April because of injury, but scored their only try when Leeds won the rematch 14-8 last month. With veteran prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves suspended, Martin will be one of the visiting side’s pack leaders for Thursday’s huge fourth versus first Betfred Super League showdown.
Wigan Warriors, Leigh Leopards and Leeds are the only teams to have beaten Hull KR so far this year and the second-rower described his old club as “one of - if not the - form sides in the competition”. He said: “When you turn up against them you know you are in for a tough game.
“They throw the ball around, they’ve got players with a lot of strike in that team and they can score points quite easily. We need to be on - we need to do our trademarks and work hard as a team. They are a great team, they are playing really good and we are going to have to have our best game.”
Though the Robins have one hand on the league leaders’ shield following last Friday’s 10-6 win at second-placed Wigan, Martin admitted that gruelling contest left them feeling “a bit battered”. He added: “It was end-to-end, non-stop, very physical. The vibe is good, but Leeds is going to be just as hard, if not harder. It is going to be a big challenge and we need to box that off and try and get the two points there.
“We’re going to need to put our best performance out there. The team we are playing throw the ball around, they are going to test us and put us on the back foot and we are going to be under pressure for a lot of the game. We need to be ready to cope with that.”
Martin’s final 10 games for Leeds were under Brad Arthur and he reckons the Aussie coach has brought a “hard-nosed work ethic” to his old team. “It’s good for them he is staying and good for the club they get some stability there,” he said. “He is a good coach and a good person and I think the club needs someone like that there.”
The Papua New Guinea star identified Rhinos full-back Lachie Miller as a “massive threat”. He warned: “He is electric with the ball, a player you rely on in those tough moments who can really change a game for you. He is playing brilliant footy and I am happy to see him doing really well.”
He has also been keen to see 18-year-old Presley Cassell make an impact on his introduction to Super League. Martin predicted: “He is going to be a great player in Super League for years to come. He was around the team a lot [last year], learning and biding his time. He has got an opportunity now and it’s good to see him out there. It was only a matter of time.”
Of his own involvement on Thursday, Martin stressed: “It’s exciting. It is good to go back and play there, but for me it’s just about doing my job for the team and trying to perform well for the Rovers.”
Leeds wanted to keep Martin after his contract expired at the end of last season and offered him an improved deal, which he turned down. Explaining why he decided to move on, he insisted: “It was just wanting to challenge myself and earn the respect of new teammates again. I was at the club for six years and I think it was time for me to move on and challenge myself as a player and person at a new team.”