Brad Arthur sends powerful message to Leeds side as early season assessment offered

Leeds Rhinos have enjoyed a blistering start to the Super League season, but head coach Brad Arthur is not getting carried away.

The Rhinos boast three wins from their first four league games of the year, with the only blip on their record thus far coming in Round 1 against Leigh Leopards when star men aplenty were absent including Man of Steel Jake Connor.

Home victories over York and Castleford Tigers have followed, sandwiching a trip to Las Vegas which saw Arthur’s side thump reigning Super League champions Hull KR 58-6, making an early statement as they sent shockwaves through the competition.

This weekend brings a break from league action for a Challenge Cup Fourth Round tie away against Wakefield Trinity, earned with success over Championship outfit Widnes Vikings in the Third Round.

And Leeds most certainly head to Belle Vue with a pep in their step.

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‘The proof will be at the end of the year’

But, despite their strong start to the season, head coach Arthur knows the hardest part is yet to come.

“It’s only early days, and we’ve still got a long way to go,” he told members of the media ahead of their cup clash with West Wakefield.

“The proof will be at the end of the year and not now, but we’re heading in the right direction.

“I’ve got to give a lot of credit to our senior players,” Arthur continued. “I lean on them to be reliable and be low-maintenance for me so that I can spend more time with the other guys.

“They need to self-manage themselves and the team and drive the standards, and they’re doing a really good job.”

The wins alone will certainly satisfy the boss, with Leeds tipped as one of the favourites to make it to Old Trafford this season, but it’s also the manner in which they have come that will send a message out across the league.

Across their three league wins so far this season, the Rhinos have scored an average of 42 points per game while conceding just eight, again on average.

In the same timeframe, Arthur also saw his side clock up a staggering 4,572 metres via just 619 carries, while boasting 91% average tackle success.

“I don’t want us to get bored with what we’re doing,” Arthur said. “I know what works for us.

“We’re owning our moments better this year; that was a big focus for us in pre-season. Our response to when we do have a bad moment is better; our last 10 minutes have been better in terms of not conceding cheap points or getting a bit loose.

“It’s just a matter of not being bored and doing it over and over. Hull KR won a treble last year by doing the same thing every week, so you don’t need to chop and change; you have to work out what works for you, and we’ve worked out what works for us.”

Their form of late certainly leaves them in a good spot heading into Friday’s trip to the DIY Kitchens Stadium, and even though Leeds have not enjoyed a strong Challenge Cup run since they lifted the historic trophy back in 2020, Arthur has called for his side to give them ‘the best shot’ at continuing in the competition.

“We’re in a good position,” he said. “We have a good squad, and we know how we want to play and we understand that it’s make or break; there’s no second chances.

“We just need to go out and play our game, believe in what we do and give ourselves the best shot at it.”