YEP Jury: Why the real Leeds Rhinos must stand up against Huddersfield Giants

TOM RHODES

Well, a very quiet weekend with no Leeds Rhinos. However, there was a lot of entertainment elsewhere in the Challenge Cup.

I must say I was expecting Catalans to beat St Helens in Perpignan but, wow. How that team can keep pumping out performances like that every week, they must have some quality backroom staff.

Other notable performances were Huddersfield Giants’ big win over Hull FC, removing the smug faces from the black and whites.

Looking ahead to our fixture on Thursday, we just need to hope the Giants are worn out from beating Hull for us to take advantage.

We desperately need a win to boost morale amongst the players and, more importantly, the fans. It’ll be nice to see a few old faces back at Headingley such as Ashton Golding and Tuimoala Lolohea.

Let’s hope Gary Hetherington has found our future coach in Australia. He’s been there now for over a week so should hopefully have it narrowed down. I’m hoping John Morris will come over and coach but I doubt he’ll leave Cronulla.

OLIVER LIMON

Rumours are rife Gary Hetherington is Down Under recruiting our next coach.

I favour the Flanagan father-son combination. This could be the ‘dream team’ to revitalise a squad which, on paper at the start of the season, looked like minimum top-four contenders. I believe the Loiners need a new coach and half-back to rescue us this season and beyond.

Although, the ‘smart money’ seems to be on Ryan Carr. We all know Hetherington’s next move will define his legacy at the club.

Get this decision wrong and it’s no exaggeration to say the wilderness years could be back with the Festive Challenge the only ‘glittering prize’ we will see for a while.

Back at HQ, JJB has fresh impetus from half-back coach Scott Grix; there is time to work their magic on a squad that’s hit rock bottom. I’d love to see Leeds bounce back against Giants, then Castleford. This will require a ‘Lazarus’ scenario.

There has been heavy criticism of the Rhinos omnipresence for the televised games. Let’s hope, with the spotlight away, Leeds can produce a performance worthy of the cameras and the home win we desire.

JOSH MORROW

Having no game last week could be a blessing in disguise after what has been an awful start to the year.

The team has some serious work to get in and the enforced break will have allowed them to get stuck into trying to turn this season around. Hopefully, a few players will be back fit too.

I think the reason the poor season so far has hit the fans hard is that this is the first season in a long time when you could look at the squad and be genuinely excited at the possibilities.

Suspensions and key injuries haven’t helped but, at times, they haven’t even looked like scoring and, even more worryingly, at times there seems to be a lack of effort from some players.

The next coach that comes in is going to be key.

The man I would want to take charge is England coach Shaun Wane.

If it happens to be Ryan Carr, who seems to be the favourite to be the next man in charge, I would love to see someone like Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who is Leeds through and through, as his number two.

KHYA GOTT

Last weekend, we didn’t have a game and I was glad we had a weekend away from getting beaten; it almost felt like light relief.

But we are back in action this week and I’m hoping that Jamie Jones-Buchanan has worked through as much as he could during that time and, I’m saying this for the third time this season, we can truly kickstart our season.

We are up against an in-form Huddersfield Giants side so it’s not going to be easy. Giants have won five of their seven games so far, compared to our one.

We have to give it a good go this week.

We need the win to avoid falling even farther behind; we are back in front of a Headingley crowd so there’s no better time to do it.

I think the win is crucial for us this weekend.