Leeds Rhinos: Blake Austin promises hard work in bid to secure first Super League win

“It was an awful night,” was Austin’s summary of the 34-12 loss, which came six days after a 22-20 setback at home to Warrington Wolves.

“It was pretty disappointing, on the back of a good effort the boys put in last week,” said Austin of Leeds’ collapse at DW Stadium.

“We were beaten in every facet.

“I thought we started quite well, but it all unravelled from there.”

Rhinos went from level pegging two minutes before the interval, Austin having given them an early lead, to 28-6 down nine minutes after it and Austin admitted: “You’re playing catch up after that.”

He stressed: “We need to be a lot better.

“We play Catalans (on Thursday) and we know if we’re not a lot better for that it will be another long night.”

It is a short turnaround for Rhinos, though the French side – last year’s league leaders – have one day less to prepare following their win over Wakefield Trinity on Saturday.

Austin insisted: “It’s not about feeling sorry for ourselves.

“It is a long year, you get on with it.

“We are two weeks in and obviously we are not quite where we want to be, but the thing about Super League is it is a very long season.

“We well and truly know what we are capable of, we’ve just got to put it together.”

Austin was suspended for round one, but of how he felt he went in his first competitive performance for Leeds, he said: “That’s irrelevant really.

“We were pretty disappointed.

“I will get my first home game this week so I am very excited for that.

“It is a short turnaround so we will get stuck in and hopefully get off the mark on Thursday.

“It will be another tough game, Catalans are a great team and we know we are going to have our work cut out.

“We are going to have to be on our game or it will be another night like that, but no issues, we know what we have got in the squad and one night doesn’t change that.

“We will get back to training and work on it for next week.”