Leeds Rhinos coach Rohan Smith promises 'better' squad for 2024, hails fans, looks ahead to Hull FC

The team boss says players coming into the club and youngsters nearing a first team chance will stand the side in good stead for 2024.

Rhinos’ faint top-six hopes will be extinguished if they lose at Hull FC on Saturday, but Smith insists the longer-term future looks bright.

“We have got a lot of young players that haven’t played yet that are going to be better with another pre-season under their belt,” he predicted.

“The overall squad will be better [next year]. We have still got a few spots we need to fill at the top end of the roster, but the bottom end of the roster is improving.

“The talent of some of the kids coming through the scholarship into the academy and now into the Super League squad is exciting.”

In terms of the Betfred Super League table, Rhinos have gone backwards since last year when they finished fifth and reached the Grand Final, but Smith believes the team is in better shape to progress now than when he took over midway through 2022.

He said: “I think the roster is shaping towards something that can build and grow together. There’s a lot of younger players who have had a lot of experience in the last 12-18 months, have got a lot of work under their belt and are progressing.

“It is hard to compare season on season, because they are different personnel; the way to assess will be in the future, looking back to this year and seeing it was a stepping stone and a progression towards who we want to become.

“We have shown a lot of resilience and a willingness to be involved in tough hard games basically every week this year. I think they are all good experiences for a team that’s trying to grow.”

Leeds have won only 10 of their 23 Super League matches this term, but boast the best points difference outside the top-four. Smith said: “Our defence, I think, is fourth or fifth as well recently. Execution and cohesion takes time to build.

“The best teams have had a nucleus together for a good period of time, across NRL and Super League. There will be more good things to follow once we get that cohesion and consistency season on season.”

Saturday’s opponents have a similar record to Leeds, with only points difference keeping Rhinos above Hull on the table.

Both teams began the round four points outside the top–six with eight left to play for, but Smith feels Rhinos have “still more than hope, there’s a mathematical chance for sure” of qualifying for the play-offs.

He stressed: “We are all focused on this game. We have got to play well for our own self and for our fans. The travelling fans last weekend were phenomenal, the way they addressed the players after the game.

“They knew the players had put a lot into that game and fought hard to overcome lots of different things. We didn’t quite get there, but they stayed and showed a lot of respect for the players. The players want to repay that.”