‘Exhausted’ Leeds Rhinos given break from training ahead of facing Super League leaders

It will be their fourth Super League fixture in 13 days and comes just 96 hours after an epic 22-16 win at Warrington Wolves on Monday night.

That was Rhinos’ fourth successive victory and they are beginning to mount a push for a place in the play-offs, but coach Richard Agar admitted: “If I am honest, my thought at the moment is ‘how are we going to back up on Friday’?”

He confirmed: “These boys need mentally refreshing.

“They are exhausted, absolutely exhausted.

“We probably aren’t going to review the game this week, we’ll give them time off and turn up for a team run on Thursday and try and summon up enough energy to play the team at the top of the competition.”

Luke Gale will be available after a ban and the RFL’s match review panel has taken no further action against Leeds’s Liam Sutcliffe and Rob Lui who were sin-binned following separate incidents in the final 10 minutes against Warrington.

Referee Liam Moore showed Sutcliffe a yellow card for a high tackle on Josh Thewlis, but the review panel’s report stated: “Player grabs around the shoulder first and rides up into the head.”

Lui followed for a professional foul and also avoided a charge. Warrington’s Stefan Ratchford was charged with grade A dangerous contact following a late hit on Kruise Leeming in the second minute, but was not suspended.