Leeds Rhinos CAN win Super League this season.

That's the view of Boots 'n' All pundit Paul Cullen, despite the fact the Rhinos are battling to secure a play-off spot.

Brian McDermott's men, the reigning top-flight champions, have lost eight of their 17 Super League games so far this term.

But the Headingley side moved up to eighth place in the table on Monday night with a thrilling 44-40 victory over Yorkshire rivals Wakefield.

"You don't write off the Leeds Rhinos," said Cullen, the Director of Rugby at the Widnes Vikings.

"They've got two second-rowers in [Brett] Delaney and [Carl] Ablett playing in the centre, and a winger-cum-centre in Zak Hardaker playing at full-back.

"But they still crafted and worked a way through difficult opponents to come away with the only thing that was needed - a win. It shows there is life in that team yet.

"If you look at the table, apart from Warrington and Wigan, I would take Leeds on any given day over every other team in the top eight.

"Leeds practiced all the way to the Grand Final last year; I'm sure they don't want to do that again but they have got it in them. They can sneak under the radar."

Moved on

Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington recently admitted that the Rhinos' successful period - which has yielded four Super League titles in the last five years - may be coming to an end.

And Cullen says that with the departures of Keith Senior and Ali Lauitiiti and the groin injury to Danny McGuire, Hetherington could be right.

"Ryan Hall is arguably one of the best wingers in Super League, if not rugby league; he is an outstanding individual," added Cullen

"He is used to playing on that left edge with Senior and Lauitiiti and McGuire supplying good ball. But Danny is injured, there is no Senior, and Lauitiiti has moved on and gone to Wakefield.

"That left edge was phenomenal and scored points for fun but it is not there anymore. Leeds are already in that transitional phase."