Friday Interview: Rhinos to put down marker against pretenders

The man who has guided his team to successive Super League titles since taking over at the end of 2007 finds himself plotting the annual journey to Old Trafford from foreign ground.

Most sides would be pleased sitting in fourth spot with just four regular rounds of the competition remaining. In their previous routes to Grand Finals, however, standard-bearers Leeds have always started off in the top two.

They have been the ones brimming with both confidence and form, the side ultimately destined for success in Manchester on an all-consuming wave of power and panache.

Tonight, though, they face a side threatening to wreck that order of recent seasons and a team on the verge of potentially ousting them as conquerors of the domestic game – Wigan Warriors.

Having blitzed Hull FC 46-0 a week ago, they are the team energised and full of conviction knowing they could open a six-point gap at the top and take a giant step towards the leaders' shield if they leave Yorkshire this evening with another success.

Such has been Leeds' inconsistency this term, that they only broke into the top

four for the first time with last week's scratchy win at lowly Salford.

But that alone is a feat given the muddle and disarray they were in early on and McClennan will argue his side are timing their run to perfection.

"Being in the top half of the eight is a pretty good spot to be in," he told the Yorkshire Post.

"First or second is obviously best, then third or fourth, with fifth or sixth the next.

"We look at the possibilities or the probabilities.

"I'd rather we get somewhere near to the probabilities. It's possible to win from anywhere in the eight – but the probabilities are the champions will come out of the top four."

Which means tonight's fixture is effectively of more importance to Leeds than Wigan; they have no room for manoeuvre.

McClennan will try and keep his squad relaxed but realises this is their crunch time given Hull, long-time holders of fourth spot until Wigan's masterclass at the KC, are waiting to reclaim that position as quickly as Leeds grabbed it.

There is a sense that the Rhinos could mount a surge and become the first side after third-placed Bradford in 2005 to win a Grand Final from outside the top two but their form has been so stuttering it is hard to believe unless they put down a marker against the best side in the competition this evening.

McClennan has kept his powder dry – veteran prop Jamie Peacock and centre Keith Senior, each crucial to any thoughts of success – were rested at Salford and Leeds also welcome back blistering scrum-half Rob Burrow.

His only game in the last three months was at Hull KR three weeks ago before he succumbed to a second knee injury but, against a side of Wigan's defensive steel, McClennan is all too aware of how vital Burrow's incisive qualities could be.

"When Rob had the ball in his hands against Hull KR, and he moved, I slipped to the edge of my seat thinking 'Whoa'," said the Kiwi.

"He brings speed and makes for worrying times for the opponents.

"We've got quite a number of players who are very threatening with ball in hand and we've just got to create enough momentum so that threat multiplies."

McClennan reads little into the Challenge Cup quarter-final success over Wigan at the same ground eight weeks ago having any meaning now but he does believe their opponents may start to feel pressure from his own men's arrival in the top four.

"If we stay healthy and can get rolling along like we know we can, if I was from the other clubs I'd start to get a little nervy," he added, perhaps looking to play a little of his own mind games.

"Wigan are doing an outstanding job this year. Whether that can take them on to get what they're aiming for, I don't know."

Wigan have shown no signs of vertigo just yet, bouncing back from their narrow loss to second-placed Warrington with that comprehensive defeat of Hull FC.

They are again without coach Michael Maguire – the man who has instigated their resurgence in 2010 – who is attending his father's funeral in Australia, having travelled home to visit him last week.

Assistant Shaun Wane, the former prop who, from 1990, had three seasons as a player at Headingley, takes charge again.

Meanwhile, Leeds will demand a 100,000 fee for Greg Eastwood after they yesterday agreed to put the Kiwi international on the transfer list at his own request.

The World Cup-winning second-row only joined from Canterbury on a three-year deal at the start of the campaign but has struggled to settle in England and wants to return to the NRL at the end of the season.

Eastwood, 23, has struggled with injuries but should return from his latest setback to bolster the Rhinos in the next few weeks.

"He's a good kid but he is missing home," said McClennan. "He's a single boy, thousands of miles away from his family.

"What hasn't helped is that Greg's had three major injuries here and, in my experience coaching rugby league, players do suffer a bit of depression when injured."