Interview - Ryan Hall: Leeds look to banish unease by re-asserting themselves

Unlikely consecutive defeats against Castleford Tigers and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats has not only created murmurs from intrigued onlookers but even left the normally uber-confident Super League champions slightly at odds with themselves.

Rarely do you see so many tacklers falling off their intended targets. Even less frequent is the sight of those controlling midfield influences Kevin Sinfield, Danny McGuire and Rob Burrow throwing passes into an abyss when under hardly any pressure.

Their defence has been breached too easily and their attack spluttered too frequently during those last two outings.

It has, indeed, all been very

un-Leeds like.

Coach Brian McClennan says his squad, title winners three years in a row, have been "insular" during the start of their latest defence and something has certainly not quite been right.

Winger Ryan Hall admits the surprise setbacks have caused some self-examination and the visit of winless Salford City Reds this evening has suddenly become a crucial date.

Before their season got underway, an initial glance at the fixture list would have seen Salford arriving at Headingley Carnegie as an ideal last run-out to fine tune the machine before the World Club Challenge next week.

But, without the need for a complete engine overhaul, there is now an urgent requirement for a much-improved performance as Leeds attempt to avoid a third straight Super League defeat for the first time since 2006.

"We're just not going into the games as we were last year," Hall admitted.

"It's hard to put into words why. Quite a lot of things have not been working in our combinations and a couple of things performance-wise.

"We want our hunger back to win. We've got a big game coming up next week and so this weekend is a big challenge for us all to put ourselves back on the right track – if everyone comes with the right attitude."

Hall cites the rutted and sand-covered home surface as one of the reasons behind their loss to Castleford.

"The Headingley pitch is in an awful state and Castleford played the conditions a lot better than us," he said.

"They adapted better than us. We thought we'd put things right against Wakefield but we under-performed there again."

One ball whistled past him and into touch at Belle Vue after another mis-guided pass and it was typical of Leeds's recent form but Hall insisted the errors will be banished.

"There were a couple of plays where passes went to ground but we don't look at things like that as individuals," insisted the England international.

"We address them as a team. We'll make sure we're ready to fire against Salford.

"We're all professionals and we learn to correct mistakes quickly. We're going to have to do that but I'm sure we will.

"We'll know a little bit more about how to handle the Headingley pitch now. Hopefully we'll be smarter."

There were signs in the final quarter at Wakefield of Leeds

re-discovering their customary panache and attacking threat.

They will aim to start in that style against Salford – who sprung a huge surprise by gaining their first Super League victory over Leeds at Headingley last April – and Hall said: "After we went behind last week we needed to play more and were a bit more desperate.

"We all realised that. We're working on things and aiming to put them right.

"We've put it behind us and now it's all about playing well against Salford."

Hall was Super League's top try-scorer last season finishing with 33 touchdowns.

However, perhaps unsurprisingly given his club's erratic form, he has failed to score yet in their opening three fixtures, illustrating their lack of cohesiveness.

"I'm not really worried about that," insisted the 22-year-old.

"It's not about that for me. Obviously, I'd like to get over a couple of times and do what I did last year and it'd be nice to keep up that form.

"Once I get one I think it will open up but we'll see."

Hall is adamant they will be ready for the challenge of NRL premiers Melbourne Storm at Elland Road a week on Sunday.

Having missed out against Manly last year, he and the entire squad are desperate to reclaim their crown.

The players believed they would be better prepared given their earlier start to pre-season and they feel in the right physical condition to tackle one of the most successful teams in recent Australian history.

Their results might not point to it – Leeds's only win has been their opener against Crusaders last month – but Hall is unshaken in his belief they are ready to bring the title back to England.

"I don't think it would have mattered if we'd come into it on four wins or not," said the Rhinos star.

"If we'd have scraped victories recently instead of losing we still wouldn't have played to our best.

"It's our performance we rate out of 10, not what's on the scoreboard, and we're looking at getting that right.

"It was an opportunity missed last year.

"It was disappointing. When ever I'd been in a cup final I'd come out a winner.

"I didn't last time in the World Club Challenge but hopefully we'll put that right and sort them out and I'll get one of those elusive medals."