Leeds Rhinos enjoying ‘different’ pre-season under new performance chief Richard Hunwicks

Brad Dwyer, a regular substitute, top scored for Leeds with 12, two more than Kruise Leeming.

Both winger Jack Broadbent and full-back Richie Myler crossed nine times and of the other three-quarters who played regularly in 2021, Tom Briscoe scored eight tries, Ash Handley seven, Harry Newman and Luke Briscoe four each and Konrad Hurrell just two.

That reflected the year-long disruption Rhinos suffered with injuries, particularly among their half-backs, but Handley – who scored 22 tries in 2019 and 20 the following season – is confident it will be a different story when the latest campaign begins next month.

Leeds have a new half-back combination in Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer and have added to their firepower by bringing in former NRL top try scorer David Fusitu’a from New Zealand Warriors.

The Tonga winger did not play in Rhinos’ opening pre-season game, a 34-6 win over Wakefield Trinity on Boxing Day, but – encouragingly for Leeds – all the hosts’ tries came from backs, with Handley and Newman each bagging a brace and Tom Briscoe and Sezer getting the others.

Handley described the amount of possession moved wide to the three-quarters as “pleasing” and is hopeful that will be a sign of things to come.

“We didn’t really see any ball last year,” reflected Handley, who featured for England in last year’s mid-season Test against Combined Nations All Stars.

“We had our half-backs out pretty much all year and that obviously had a big effect. Hopefully they can stay fit and we can see some ball next year and finish some tries.”

Rhinos, despite the departure of eight players who were on their books at the end of last season, look better placed to challenge for honours in 2022, particularly if they can keep their key men on the field.

“We have signed some good players and there’s a lot of competition for places now,” noted Handley.

“We have got quite a big squad as well, so I am looking forward to the season.

“We’ve still got a good six weeks to go in phase two of pre-season and I am looking forward to that and getting in good shape for the first game.”

One major development behind the scenes at Headingley has been Richard Hunwicks’s return to the club as head of performance.

Along with coach Steve McNamara, Hunwicks was a key figure in Catalans Dragons’ transformation from relegation strugglers in 2017 to league leaders and Grand Finalists last year.

He began his career as an assistant-conditioner at Leeds, where he was part of their 2011 and 2012 Super League title wins and Handley said Hunwicks had already had an impact on Rhinos’ pre-season.

He revealed: “It is a bit different this year, with Rich coming in, but it has kept us all fresh.

“He has changed quite a bit, it is very scientific this year, making sure everyone’s fresh on the pitch.

“It’s no use us training the house down and then only having 10 (first-choice) players available.

“That’s not what you need.

“We are all quite fresh going into the second phase of pre-season.”