Leeds Rhinos injury latest as key man makes admission

Mikolaj Oledzki insists he will be fit enough to play his part in Leeds Rhinos’ critical clash with Salford Red Devils this afternoon. The Rhinos currently sit seventh in the Super League table and they know a win in Greater Manchester would be enough for them to dial the pressure up on the top six with seven games remaining.

A result would bring the Red Devils into striking distance, too, as the race for the play-offs hot up. As such, Brad Arthur will be relieved to have Oledzki fit and available after seeing him forced off the field last week at Huddersfield Giants with a rib issue.

The prop appeared to be struggling at the John Smith’s Stadium, but he’s recovered well and will be looking to play a key role against Paul Rowley’s side.

“I’m progressively getting better and better and I feel pretty good,” Oledzki admitted, per the Yorkshire Evening Post. “Luckily it has gone in the right direction in the last few days.”

Last week’s win over Huddersfield was Brad Arthur’s first in charge of the Rhinos and with the club looking to build momentum, Oledzki has opened up on the impact the Australian has made since his arrival.

“It has been great having him around, to kind of enforce the little things that might go missing or we might not emphasise as much as we should do,” he added.

“We have to be accountable and make sure we throw a lot of energy into the right areas, to make sure we keep building. That’s exactly what we are after.

“Brad has brought a lot of accountability to the team, the lads know where they stand and their roles in the team. They know they have to do their role to the highest standard and they’ll be held accountable if they don’t.

“It has been great having that around, that change of mindset and how we approach games. He has simplified the roles and we have to make sure we do them to a high standard. Rugby league is a pretty simple game and if 17 guys do their jobs to the highest standard and make sure they execute their roles properly, you are more likely to get a win. That’s where the accountability comes in.”