Another Tough Night for Leeds Rhinos at St Helens
It was another night to forget for the Leeds Rhinos as they suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of St Helens at the Totally Wicked Stadium. Despite an early lead through Ash Handley and trailing by just 12-6 at halftime, the Rhinos ultimately succumbed to a second-half collapse, losing the match 40-10.
The game was marked by another disappointing performance from the Leeds squad, with several players failing to meet expectations and leaving the loyal fans frustrated both at the ground and online. In their post-match analysis, Sky Sports pundits Jon Wilkin and Danika Priim were quick to single out a pivotal moment that epitomized the Rhinos’ struggles this season.
The incident in question centered around Leeds center Harry Newman, who was lambasted for his lack of effort in chasing back after a defensive mistake. Following a break from Waqa Blake, Newman made a despairing dive upfield but then remained on the ground, watching as St Helens scored on the next play. Wilkin observed, “This clip for me typifies it (the lack of spirit). Harry Newman makes a mistake. It’s a defensive error. But watch him stay on the ground [and not try to run back].”
“It looks like he has walked himself off the field hasn’t he? And that for me is what I talked about earlier – the effort and energy St Helens have is exemplary [in comparison]. That’s the type of body language from Leeds Rhinos that is just not acceptable. You’ve made an error, you’ve sat down and you’ve had no ownership of it.”
The heavy defeat at the hands of their fierce rivals leaves the Leeds Rhinos with much to ponder, as they have now lost six matches this season. The team’s inability to maintain a competitive spirit and effort level throughout the full 80 minutes continues to be a major concern for the coaching staff and the loyal Rhinos supporters.
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