This 12 months’s venue for the Betfred Tremendous League’s Magic Weekend is as near a house venue with out truly being at dwelling as Leeds Rhinos might get – even when they’re nominally the ‘away’ staff for his or her match towards Warrington Wolves.
Elland Highway, the house of the town’s soccer membership Leeds United, is only a four-mile drive south from the Rhinos’ AMT Headingley floor and isn’t precisely unfamiliar territory for them down the years both.
It was host to Leeds’ World Membership Problem triumphs over Canterbury Bulldogs and Melbourne Storm in 2005 and 2008, plus two Tremendous League matches within the 2018 season. There are these of one other era who will bear in mind almost 23,000 being there to see Mal Reilly’s facet beat Castleford within the outdated Yorkshire Cup closing in 1988 as nicely – a uncommon trophy for the membership in that period.
So, whereas the choice to relocate Magic Weekend from Newcastle’s St James’ Park to Elland Highway could not have been universally welcomed, there shall be little grumbling from anybody related to the Rhinos and captain Cameron Smith is relishing the event.
“I can’t wait, and it almost feels like a home game,” Smith advised Sky Sports activities. “We’re not too distant from Headlingley, and with the connection between United and Leeds Rhinos, the individuals of Leeds shall be wanting to come back right here and help us.
“There’s so much happening, however our preparation will nonetheless be the identical and it is simply one other sport.
“We’re the last game and we’re used to playing late, but we’ll be focused on our game and nothing else.”
Added to the joy for Leeds is the actual fact they head into this sport on the again of a shock 30-4 demolition of reigning champions Wigan Warriors final week.
Saturday’s match towards Warrington, the ultimate sport of day certainly one of Magic Weekend 2024 (7.30pm, reside on Sky Sports activities Motion), comes barely 5 weeks after the final assembly between the groups which noticed the Wolves triumph 30-18 on the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
It was that sport which noticed Brad Arthur get a glimpse of the staff in particular person for the primary time as nicely, having simply arrived within the nation after being appointed head coach till the tip of the season following the departure of Rohan Smith.
Outcomes have continued to be up and down – two wins and two defeats – for the reason that 50-year-old took cost contemporary from over a decade on the reins of NRL facet Parramatta Eels. But Arthur noticed the gorgeous win over Wigan as an indication of the progress he has seen from the staff since he got here on board.
“We’ve been chasing that 80-minute effort and I thought we did that,” Arthur advised Sky Sports activities.
“I’m disappointed we leaked a try because I felt like we’d done enough. We lacked a little bit of detail at times, but we’re getting better at it, and you can see some signs.
“It is very laborious for me to be crucial as a result of they labored their backsides off.”
Even with that victory over a Warriors facet which has swept all earlier than them in rugby league over the previous 12 months, heading into Magic Weekend, the Rhinos are nonetheless 4 factors off the play-off locations with six video games of the common season remaining.
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Highlights from final Saturday’s Betfred Tremendous League conflict between Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors
Failure to make the highest six for the second 12 months in a row, having gone on an inconceivable run to achieve the Grand Remaining in Smith’s first season in cost in 2022, is near-on unthinkable for the eight-time Tremendous League champions, despite the fact that the final of these titles got here in 2017.
Backing up that win at dwelling to Wigan with victory over a Warrington facet which harbours their very own title ambitions would do a lot to strengthen these play-off hopes and free ahead Smith has each cause to be assured going into Magic Weekend.
“I think we’re really positive and I feel like we’ve been due a decent win in these last couple of weeks,” Smith mentioned.
“We’ve had some good performances, but we’ve almost beaten ourselves.
Brad Arthur is contracted with Leeds till the tip of the 2024 season
“We come into the game with some confidence and some momentum.”
No matter occurs on Saturday night although, the long-term future for Arthur past this season stays up within the air.
The Australian has been constant in his view the Rhinos gamers want to indicate they need him to nonetheless be on the helm in 2025.
“They need to show me that again this week – and the week after that,” Arthur mentioned.
Watch each match of the Betfred Tremendous League’s 2024 Magic Weekend reside on Sky Sports activities on August 17 and 18. Additionally stream with NOW.
Sky Sports activities+ has formally launched and shall be built-in into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities prospects entry to over 50 per cent extra reside sport this 12 months at no further price. Discover out extra right here.
