Balanced Rovers are challenge for Rhinos

They welcome Hull KR to Headingley tonight looking to make a swift response after a 
16-14 loss at lowly Wakefield Trinity Wildcats a week ago.

But their ninth-placed visitors – despite having sacked head coach Craig Sandercock beforehand – came up with an astonishing 40-10 rout of Super League leaders St Helens on Sunday so arrive in high spirits.

McDermott admits his team, who are second in the table but have slipped to three defeats in their last five Super League games, could learn plenty from the East Yorkshire opponents.

“Rather than highlight an individual, Hull KR’s team seems to be balanced at the moment,” he said, when assessing Rovers’ quality.

“Their forwards seem to be working massively hard for each other, their outside backs are doing the basics, they’re keeping hold of the ball and they’re working in a bit of field position.

“And I know all that sounds very simplistic but sometimes at this stage of the year that’s valuable – just doing the basics right.

“Highlight our game against Wakefield last Friday and some of the basics were we lost too much possession and invited them back into the game.

“At this stage of the year you talk about plays and different passages of play but sometimes it just comes down to doing the basics.

“I thought Hull KR were pretty clinical in that regard against Saints. A change of coach has done that group a bit of impetus.

“They were very good at the weekend.”

McDermott, however, is not unduly concerned about his own side’s form and will be confident of success given England trio Kevin Sinfield, Rob Burrow and Carl Ablett all return tonight.