Friday 12 September 2014 09:08, UK
Leeds Rhinos head coach Brian McDermott has admitted the club needs to improve its attacking prowess ahead of the end-of-season playoffs.
The Rhinos began the campaign red hot in attack and stingy in defence and while they have kept things tight at the back their ability to cross the whitewash has dried up.
Leeds did break their Challenge Cup final duck against Castleford Tigers last month, but a run of four straight defeats means their Grand Final assault takes place from sixth position.
McDermott’s men head east along the M62 on Friday as they go head-to-head with Hull FC and the Headingley tactician has conceded their attack has been inconsistent of late.
Despite Leeds’ vast array of attacking talent the club are just seventh-highest scorers and McDermott knows they must buck up their ideas if they are to reach the Grand Final.
“If you asked most coaches what they would prefer, great attack or great defence, most would talk about great defence,” McDermott told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
We will not progress far in the playoffs if we only score one try, but we have the muscle memory of that and I am sure it will come.
“That is harder to get. At times this year we have been brilliant in attack, but for a number of weeks - either through injury, or when we’ve changed the team in preparation for the Challenge Cup - we have found it hard to find offensive consistency.
“I don’t think we have to change a huge amount. There were patches against Wigan when we opened them up and challenged them, but we didn’t do it enough.
“The game took too much out of us because we made too many errors, but as a general overview our attack does need to be a lot better.
“We will not progress far in the playoffs if we only score one try, but we have the muscle memory of that and I am sure it will come.”
