Rohan Smith insists Leeds Rhinos are progressing, despite slump in table
ROHAN Smith insists Leeds are progressing, despite how it may look.
But it may take at least another year for him to get close to the core of players he wants.
The Rhinos surprised many by making last season’s Grand Final – this year it will need four wins from four to just have a chance of making the play-offs.
Fans have voiced their anger at results, with some saying the Australian coach should go.
But he believes things are moving forward and people he meets in the street share that thought.
Smith said: “When I speak to fans around gameday or when I bump into them on the street, there’s a level of frustration but for lots of them a level of understanding of where the club’s been and where it’s trying to go.
“There’s been progress in plenty of ways – just not as many wins as we’d like.
“Plenty of people see progress in certain things, the development of younger players and the transition of the roster.”
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Smith takes Leeds to another big club that faces missing out on the play-offs in Hull FC today as both build for 2024.
Signings have already been made, with Lachie Miller arriving at Headingley from the NRL, while half back Aidan Sezer – missing after suffering a concussion in training – is on his way out.
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England prop Tom Burgess, a boyhood Rhinos fan, remains a target but the man in charge believes it will take time to turn the club into a fully firing force.
Smith added: “There’s been a big turnover of players over the last few years and that’s always likely to create some uncertainty and inconsistency. The best clubs maintain that core year on year.
“That’s what we’re working towards but to build a team that sticks together for a long period of time takes more than one or two years, it takes a few to get to that point.”
Leeds’ form could hardly be worse – one win from five matches leaves their Super League chances hanging by a thread.
And while fans moan, rest assured the coach is feeling it as much as they are.
Smith continued: “I look at myself every day, after every drill in training. I’m equally as hard on myself after every win as I am after every loss.
“It’s always about trying to improve for me. Working out how I can help the players is always the number one goal.
“Winning and losing isn’t the driver for seeking improvement.”