Can Leeds Rhinos Make The Super League Playoffs?
It has been a frustrating Super League season for the Leeds Rhinos, with Yorkshire’s finest struggling in 7th place in the 12-team competition.
The Rhinos are next in action at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Thursday, where they’ll take on a Warrington Wolves team that are third in the league and just four points off leaders Wigan.
Interestingly, Leeds have won two consecutive matches since the recent dismissal of head coach Rohan Smith. But can they continue his upturn in form on the road, and will they still claim a playoff place in the 2024 Super League?
Leeds’ Season so Far – A Tale of Inconsistency
This campaign held a great deal of promise for the rivals, in the wake of their Super League Grand final in 2022 and the pre-season capture of England hooker Andy Ackers and ‘ex-Man of Steel’ Brodie Croft.
However, they lost seven of their first 14 games in 2024, with this sequence culminating with a desperate defeat to Hull FC at the MKM Stadium on June 15th. This was the first match contested by the Rhinos since the death of legendary player Rob Burrow, who passed away with motor neurone disease (MND) at the age of 41.
According to Rugby Pass, both codes of the sport came together to pay tribute to the eight-time Super League winner that weekend, but the emotion of the occasion may have been a little too much for Leeds.
Their opponents had lost 11 consecutive league and cup games and won just once in the league, but they made the most of torrential rain and numerous handling errors to prevail 18-10. This left the Rhinos languishing towards the bottom of the Super League, and Rohan Smith paid the price with his job just four days later.
The Rhinos also exited the Challenge Cup at the first time of asking, with a 6th round home defeat to rivals St. Helens on March 22nd.
Can Leeds Claim a Playoff Place?
Interestingly, Leeds have won both matches since Smith was dismissed, with the Rhinos currently under the interim management of Chev Walker.
This short sequence included a thrilling 17-16 win over the London Broncos last time out, as Brodie Croft’s drop goal secured a golden-point win in front of an enthralled Headingley crowd.
Previously, the Broncos (who remain bottom of the Super League) had been just 10 minutes away from achieving their first away win of the campaign, before Rhyse Martin bundled over to force extra-time. This was followed by Croft’s stunning intervention, which came just four minutes into additional time.
Despite being unconvincing, this win leaves Leeds sitting in seventh and just two points off the Catalan Dragons in the final playoff spot. A win on the road against the Wolves will further boost their chances of competing for a place in the Grand Final, while winger Ash Handley remains in excellent form and scored his 11th try of the Super League season against the Broncos.
The Rhinos are also on the cusp of appointing a new head coach, with Australian Brad Arthur expected to take over on a temporary basis until the end of the 2024 campaign. He previously took charge of 264 matches for the Parramatta Eels, winning 137 of these (52%) and reaching the NRL Grand Final in 2022.
Arthur’s presence would arguably provide a timely boost for the Rhinos, affording them a competitive edge over their closest rivals. So, a playoff place may not be out of the question, especially with second row Rhyse Martin having scored 102 points so far in 2024. Only three players have scored more in this year’s Super League.
