Leeds Rhinos v Huddersfield Giants: Giants are driven on by Widnes humbling '¨'“ Patrick

Like Leeds, they have still to even pick up a solitary point this term as they prepare for tonight’s surreal Super League bottom-two battle.

However, for all depleted Giants were competitive against Wigan Warriors – indeed unlucky not to win – they were shambolic at times when losing 36-18 to Widnes Vikings on Sunday. Patrick said: “We need to replicate the Wigan performance. We gave it our all and although they won I felt like we were the unlucky team.

“Nobody turned up against Widnes and it was a bit of an embarrassment in truth.

“We need to make sure that doesn’t happen again. There’s no better place to turn things around than Headingley though.

“Leeds have their injuries but we’re not focussing on that, we’re focussing on kick-starting our season.”

It is imperative they do that; with just 23 rounds before the leagues split, no side, not even one as prestigious as Leeds, can afford to strumble for too long.

Patrick, who was on loan in the Wigan side that lost last year’s Grand Final to Leeds ,added: “There’s no panic; we’re only a month in and it’s not like we’re mid-season or near the end.

“We can’t afford to relax but we know with the experience this group has got, we know we’re still one of the better teams..”

The game sees Patrick face fellow back-row Brett Ferres, the England international who not only spent more than three years alongside him at Huddersfield but also, previously, in Bradford Bulls’ academy.

Ferres was sold to Leeds in acrimonious circumstances on the eve of the new season having initially been suspended by the club for his off-field conduct.

But Patrick maintained there will be no special attention afforded him and said: “There’s no plans in place for Brett Ferres, I don’t want to comment on that. It is what it is. We’ll ignore that and we’ll do what we do.

“He’s a world-class player and he’s been doing well, so he’s a threat but we’ve got our own threats in the team.”