Unconvincing Leeds Rhinos’ win worsened by more injury woes

Leeds Rhinos faced Hull FC on Sunday and despite the fact they won 18-12, it was a game that left fans feeling deflated and now they’ll have even more reason so.

That’s because one of the club’s star signings limped off with head coach Rohan Smith now confirming that the club are uncertain on the severity of the injury.

Paul Momirovski was the man in question with the ex-NRL centre limping off before the hour mark and being replaced by teenager Alfie Edgell.

Leeds Rhinos are currently without their other star centre Harry Newman whilst wingers Ash Handley and David Fusitu’a are also sidelined with injuries.

That now means that if Momirovski is to miss time then Lachlan Miller could be the only first-choice player to start across their back five when they face London Broncos on Friday night.

Leeds Rhinos await scan for injured star

Speaking post-game to BBC Radio Leeds, Rohan Smith confirmed that the club will have to send the former Sydney Roosters star for a scan before they know how bad the injury is.

He did confirm what the injury was though, explaining: “Paul Momirovski’s rolled his ankle today so it is likely that there’ll be other opportunities for those young kids.

“He’s got a sore ankle. I think every ankle, knee, shoulder, those types of things are generally a case of waiting for a scan before anyone wants to hang their hat on it too much.”

The young kids that Smith referenced were among the only positives for Leeds to take from the win over Hull FC with debutant Riley Lumb earning Man of the Match honours. Lumb bagged a first-half brace whilst replacement Edgell also had a strong showing.

Those bright performances weren’t enough to appease some fans though who were left chanting at the end of the game calling for Rohan Smith to be sacked, something that the Australian also reacted to.

“I got the gist of it,” was his simple response.

“Did a pretty good job overall” – Smith assesses win

All wins in Super League are worth two points and that’s probably the only other positive alongside the emergence of young talent, and Smith felt similar in his assessment.

He did make particular note of the defensive efforts of his side though, limiting FC to just 12 points despite a number of goal-line chances that the Black and Whites had.

Smith noted: “I thought we defended really well. We set our stall out to kick chase well and make them kick from their own half, which I think we did a pretty good job at overall.

“I’m particularly pleased with a lot of the young kids, how they defended at the back end of that game when the game was on the line and there was a lot of pressure in that game. We had a 21-year-old and two 18 or 19-year-olds defending on the end of the line and coming up with important plays.

“I thought that defensively and overall energy that it was good today. I would have preferred a bit better execution of some of our stuff at times to apply a bit more pressure at the end of our sets.”

There was a more reflective statement as well though with the Australian admitting that the Rhinos have lacked something across the season.

“Overall, we came to do a job, a job against a very spirited and energetic team today and we got what we needed.

“I think each game this year we’ve lacked something. We haven’t really put it together consistently for 80 minutes, but for large portions of the game, of each game, we’ve had a real assertiveness to it.”

What they’re lacking could be leadership, hence their signing of Ryan Hall who will be 37 when he makes his second debut for the club with the winger explaining his desire to help re-establish Leeds Rhinos as an elite club.