Agar: We have to improve to make top four

Leeds head coach Richard Agar is eyeing a significant improvement from his team when they take on Salford at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Saturday.

Back-to-back defeats has seen the Rhinos slip to sixth in the table, with the team struggling with injuries and form since the restart.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Agar said: “The time off has helped us a little bit. The nature of the performances have left me disappointed. However, we acknowledge that there are areas where we need to improve.

“We have made some adjustments to the way we have trained recently. We have been trying to replicate on what has happened to us in games so we can understand ourselves more.

“No one likes losing but at the same time, this is all part of the journey we are on. The club has been in a tough position during the past couple of years.

“We know we have to get back to consistently challenge for the top four but at the same time, we have to understand where we are at on our journey, trying to improve individually and collectively moving forward.

“I do feel that we have a particularly good group of players and are determined to really improve from where we have been.”

Saturday’s opponents Salford will be full of confidence ahead of the game in Warrington, with their only game since the season resumption coming 20 days ago against Hull FC.

That game saw the Red Devils produce a dominant display and Agar is fully expecting a tough game against last season’s Grand Finalists.

“Salford have had some time off and it could very well be difficult for them,” said the Rhinos boss.

“The same thing could happen to us. We are due to play Wakefield and Catalans after this weekend but after what has happened with Catalans, we will just have to wait and see.

“It is the nature of the competition at the moment. We did get a result against Salford earlier in the year and I did not think they were too far away then.

“Watching them against Hull, they clearly look like a team who buy into their jobs. They are very well organised and a highly committed team.

“They have some very good players and have done a terrific job and are a very hard team to beat.”