Headingley pitch needs RFL action demands Hull KR star

The Australian second-rower should have been toasting Rovers' first league success at the ground since 1985 after helping them to a 17-10 victory on Friday night.

But, following Leicester Tigers coach Richard Cockerill speaking out last month, Newton voiced his own concerns after toiling for 80 minutes on the difficult underfoot conditions.

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"That ground's probably one of the biggest jokes I've ever been a part of," said the experienced former Melbourne Storm star, about the surface troubled Leeds intend on re-laying at the end of the season.

"I think it's a real issue for health and safety. It's an embarrassment to see good quality players such as Leeds have to play on that pitch week in, week out. It's not good enough.

"I think the RFL needs to look at it. It needs to be addressed.

"It's very loose under foot, full of sand, there's hardly any grass and it's not conducive to good football or safe football.

"That's all part of this game and you don't want players getting injured by having a disgraceful ground which at the moment it is."

Rovers should be more pleased by conditions in the south of France when they face struggling Catalans Dragons on Saturday buoyed by their hard-fought victory over a severely depleted Rhinos outfit.

But Newton, who was central to their cause, insists they are not reading too much into the triumph that saw them rise above their Yorkshire rivals into seventh spot.

"We can't get ahead of ourselves," he said, as the Robins strive for the consistency that has so far eluded them.

"I think it was probably our problem even the week before when we got in front against Wakefield; possibly some blokes started thinking about Leeds (and Rovers lost).

"We've got to take the win with a grain of salt; it was good – no matter what sort of team they sent out – and defensively we really hung in.

"They threw plenty at us on our line and to hold that team to two tries, even without a couple of their big guns, was a great effort.

"But it's done and come Monday we worry about Catalans," he added.