Leeds Rhinos 36, Warrington Wolves 12: Brad Arthur's press conference

Peter Smith

Leeds Rhinos coach Brad Arthur reflects on his side's 36-12 defeat of Warrington Wolves.

Transcript

00:00Brad, congratulations. Just give us your take on that performance and that win first, please.

00:06Sort of pretty tough and gritty. A heap of energy.

00:11Pretty good balance. We played some fair footy at times.

00:17Probably left a couple of tries out there early in the game, but we didn't panic.

00:22So I'm liking the composure. Then we defended pretty well.

00:25We've come up with two system errors in defence, which we've got to tidy up and the boys are pretty disappointed about.

00:30But everyone's chasing that 80-minute performance, but it's hard to get.

00:35It's a tough game that the guys play.

00:39The thing I like is that they want to get that and they're still a bit disappointed about a couple of areas

00:44and they want to chase that 80-minute performance.

00:46But as a coach, I've got to be careful not to be too tough on them.

00:51We need to enjoy what's a good performance.

00:54We need to back it up next week.

00:56Is it a sign of a good team, a good group, when they are picking out those little bits of improvements,

01:02even though they've just beaten a good Warrington side?

01:05You were in a final last week.

01:06Yeah. Well, that just shows you that they know that they've still got a bit more in them

01:10and that they really care about the club and the jersey and their teammates

01:15and they want to do well.

01:16But that's the environment that's been created at the moment.

01:20Even if you look at our reserve grade boys that played today,

01:24we had a lot of good players that should be playing Super League in that team.

01:28They're having kickstones all week.

01:30They've trained really well.

01:31They're preparing us well.

01:32And they went out there and done a good job too.

01:36So, you know, I'm just fortunate as a coach that our medical staff and our high-performance staff

01:42have done a good job to present everyone fit and healthy.

01:44And that can change very quickly.

01:46I get that.

01:47But it's not by fluke at the moment because the guys have done a lot of hard work.

01:51Just on that selection and a couple of those that played reserves,

01:54I know you spoke in the week that it was a tough choice to make and tough conversations.

01:59What was it about?

02:00Why did you choose the players you did today and leave those couple in the reserves?

02:04Well, I don't know if I've got it right yet.

02:06And that's the beauty about it.

02:09And, you know, it doesn't matter who we put out there at the moment.

02:12They're doing the job.

02:13Look, if you look right at the start of the season, we had a lot of injuries.

02:17And we didn't focus on it.

02:18We focused on the guys that were in the team and the guys that got their opportunity, done their job.

02:22And then they're probably unlucky to not remain in the team.

02:26Other blokes just come back.

02:27But that's just life.

02:28That's just what it is.

02:29And, you know, I'm grateful to the club and Belizey that build a good squad,

02:33which creates healthy competition for spots.

02:36And, you know, all we can control at the moment is the guys that don't get picked

02:40is how they go back and play.

02:41Yeah, like Cooper Jenkins went back today and played a straight 40 in the first half

02:47and then got a lot of minutes in the second half, done a good job, scored a try.

02:50And, you know, then he backs up to be 18th man.

02:52And he's probably the most excited in the sheds about the win.

02:55So that's a good sign of team harmony and want.

03:01That's five wins on the bounce now.

03:02It's the first time that you've got under yourself and the first time this season.

03:06Do you feel that momentum that you're riding on at the minute, it seems?

03:11Well, we'd love to, you know, to keep winning.

03:16But what I'll talk to the guys about just then is just performances.

03:20You know, I want us to be happy with our performances.

03:22I want them to come off the field knowing that our performances are strong.

03:25We've played for each other.

03:26We've played for the jersey.

03:27We've played for the fans.

03:28We've played for our club.

03:29And sometimes you're going to get beat by a better team

03:31or bounce the ball or, you know, a bit unlucky.

03:34That's just how it goes.

03:36But, you know, we're focusing really hard on being the same team each week.

03:41And I feel like at the moment we're pretty consistent with that.

03:45Not over a full 80 minutes, but at least we know what we're about as a team.

03:51Just personnel-wise, was Lockie Miller just precaution?

03:54Yeah, it is.

03:54You know, you try and have a few plans going into games

03:59and you don't want to get ahead of yourself.

04:01But I just, you know, it's one I thought we were reasonably comfortable.

04:04I was going to take him off with about 10 to go.

04:08But then he was cramping.

04:10And with 20 to go, it was good to sort of put other plans into place.

04:14And I feel like I've got, I learned a lesson out of the Wakefield game.

04:17I moved Jake Connor and it probably wasn't fair to him.

04:20You know, like he's practising that role of being a halfback

04:23and controlling the game and he's getting better and better at it.

04:25And I felt like I got that wrong last week against Wakefield.

04:30Callum Watkins was part of the sort of cog, I guess,

04:33when you move things about like that.

04:35I know you spoke about him in the week as well, his 400th career game today.

04:38Nice moment for him then, was it?

04:40Yeah, it's great.

04:41And, you know, the guys really played for him.

04:42And that's when you know you've got plenty of want and desire and harmony in the team and the club

04:48because, you know, they're trying to make those moments.

04:50And special occasions like today, important for those guys.

04:56And he's just a super player.

04:58Like, I don't have to worry about him, really.

04:59I could go all week without talking to him about his job.

05:01He just knows what to do and I can move him all over the place.

05:04And that's great as a coach.

05:06And, you know, I moved Bentos to nine for the last six or seven minutes today.

05:10So it gives us the opportunity to do that.

05:13And the thing I'm pleased about is the guys, they don't get rattled anymore.

05:16You know, when we're doing stuff like that, we've got a job to do and just get on with it

05:19and, you know, do your job.

05:23Thanks, Brad.

05:25I don't know if you know about the players that were in the reserves since the Knackers got through.

05:30All right, so Knackers played the 80.

05:32Yeah, Acker's played the 80-hour plan for Simpson was just to bring him off at half-time.

05:37Come off a little bit before it, so just precautionary.

05:39So we'll see how he pulls up during the week.

05:42But, you know, he showed some good signs.

05:45Acker's got through all the guys and Reggie's got through pretty good.

05:48There was nothing too concerning about Simpson coming off a little bit earlier?

05:51No, not at the moment, no.

05:54The first thing, why is everyone get through okay?

05:57Yep.

05:57As far as you know.

05:58Yeah, with a couple of bumps and bruises, but you expect that in a physical contest.

06:01But, yeah, like I said, I'm grateful as a coach that, you know, we've got the guys,

06:06everyone playing their role in the club at the moment.

06:08They're doing a good job, which allows me to do my job.

06:11But if we do get injuries, we've got plenty of capable players that will just step up

06:16and get their role sorted.

06:18I know we're always going on about him, but Jake Connor, again, a try, a couple of assists, the goals.

06:26He probably wasn't as spectacular today, but I felt like it's been the best game that I've really liked about, you know, his game.

06:32He's nice and controlled and balanced for the full 80 minutes.

06:35And, you know, there was no real highlights there and then lowlights, you know.

06:39Like, he was nice and level and controlled.

06:43And it's a tough role, that seventh spot.

06:45And he's doing a good job and he's warmer to it.

06:47We probably need to ask him, but it looks like he's enjoying himself, is that?

06:52Yeah, he is.

06:53And, you know, I just keep pushing him.

06:54He's got plenty of skill and quality that I don't need to worry too much about.

06:58I just keep pushing him about owning his effort and his physicality.

07:02You know, I'm just working with him on control and when and where and why to play.

07:07But, yeah, he's doing a good job, mate.

07:09And nice for Cam Smith, two tracks.

07:11He's good.

07:12Playing a bit of a different role since he came back.

07:15And again, look, it just shows you, you know, the attitude of the guys because Ego's taking a bit of a hit there coming off the bench,

07:23but he hasn't worried about it and he's doing his job.

07:26And, you know, there might be a time where he comes back into the starting line-up,

07:29but he's doing such a good job for us off the bench.

07:31He's getting lots of minutes.

07:34And that just shows you, you know, that the team's nice and happy at the minute.

07:39Right, where would you put, kind of, sort of, talent-wise of all the players that you coach?

07:42Because on his day, it looks like he's a good player.

07:44He's got plenty of talent, hasn't he?

07:46You know, that's got nothing to do with coaches and coaches in the past.

07:49It's just some blokes are gifted and he's gifted.

07:52It's just about getting in the door each week.

07:55And, yeah, he's a very good player.

07:57And, you know, look, he's got to focus about staying calm and level

08:00and making sure that he can replicate it each week.

08:04How have you got the best out of him?

08:05Have you had to sort of nurture him?

08:07Because, obviously, he's quite an experienced player, isn't he?

08:09He's 30 or whatever.

08:11What have you done with him?

08:14Nothing special.

08:15Just honest with him.

08:16But, you know, I think the whole playing group's got to take...

08:20And I was asked when we first signed him, was I concerned about it?

08:24And I said, no, because just in that 10 weeks that I had the playing group,

08:28I could see that they wanted the accountability

08:29and the high expectations and standards and they wanted to live to it and drive it.

08:34And I knew they wouldn't let him be any different than the way we want him to be.

08:44So, look, I think the players and the clubs will take credit for that.

08:48And how much progress have you seen since you came in to where the leagues are now?

08:52Third in the league.

08:52I think it's this straight where you set the wins from eight.

08:56Yeah, it's been plenty of progress, but we've still got more in us

08:59and we don't want to get carried away.

09:00You know, look, it can change pretty quickly.

09:03So, enjoy it now, but we need to keep focusing on our performances on a weekly basis.

09:10A lot of the media pundits are talking about it being a two-horse race at the moment.

09:14Are you thinking at all about actually maybe three?

09:18There's still, what, 13 games to go?

09:20So we'll worry about that in 13 weeks' time.

09:22But at the moment, I know that we're playing a good St Helens team next week

09:26and that's all we're focused on.

09:28Are you right?

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