Rohan Smith's message to Leeds Rhinos forward James Bentley ahead of return to St Helens

The 24-year-old enjoyed a trophy-laden spell at the Totally Wicked Stadium, winning three Super League titles and the Challenge Cup after joining from Bradford Bulls in 2018.

Bentley has yet to get going since his off-season switch to Headingley, with three separate suspensions restricting him to seven Super League appearances.

He will be under the spotlight when he returns from his latest ban on his old stomping ground in front of the Sky Sports cameras tonight.

Smith is hoping the occasion brings the best out of the highly competitive forward, who scored two tries in his last outing against Wakefield Trinity.

“James and I have been speaking about managing emotion for the six weeks I’ve been here," said the Rhinos head coach.

“I don’t think it changes too much this weekend. Obviously he can’t control how the other team might try and poke him or annoy him, but he understands he needs to be in control of himself and be himself - get out there, play hard and compete.

“I think it will be a good occasion for the kid.”

Leeds have a wretched recent record against Saints - losing the past 10 meetings - but welcome back some big names for the round 16 clash.

As well as Bentley, Smith can call on captain Kruise Leeming and half-back Aidan Sezer.

Leeming missed the Rhinos' last game against Huddersfield Giants through illness, while Sezer has not played since March due to a groin injury.

With only Jack Walker, Tom Briscoe, Morgan Gannon, Tom Holroyd and Muizz Mustapha unavailable, Smith has a welcome headache.

"It's difficult and that's how you want it to be," he said.

"We're going to have a different spine again. That's exciting but it can also take a bit of time to get flowing again.

"Sezer will play some footy this weekend. He's in good condition and has done an excellent rehab.

"Aidan is a senior player in the group and he has had a bit of a disrupted first half of the season, but he is in good condition so there was never any doubt he’d be back in when he got the work under his belt.

“We have got flexibility with [full-back] Zak [Hardaker] who can play wing and centre as well, so that gives us some options [for today] and also for week to week to do what we think is best.”

Leeds used five different half-back combinations in Sezer's absence, although their form did improve during that time.

Sezer - a Man of Steel nominee with Huddersfield in 2020 - has yet to produce his best rugby since his switch to Headingley but Smith believes his fellow Australian is in a good place to attack the final 12 rounds.

“I am expecting him to be himself and do what he has done for a long period of time," said Smith.

“You don’t forget how to do that when you’ve been out injured, but I’m also urging him to take his time and not put too much on his own shoulders, just to get out there and help the team flow and kick and chase and do all those things he has built his game around.

“It is good to see him back out there for the first time since I’ve been here.

“It’s exciting but we’ve got to get the ball rolling and play our best game.”

The Rhinos face the toughest assignment in Super League this week, game three of a six-match road trip.

Table-topping Saints have lost only twice all year, giving the defending champions a four-point advantage at the top of the table.

While Smith is under no illusions about the size of the task facing his team, he has vowed to take the game to Kristian Woolf's men.

"They've been the best team in the competition for a long time," said Smith, who was not in charge when St Helens won 26-0 at Headingley in April.

"It doesn't matter who's playing for them and who's not playing, they find a way to compete at a very high level.

"They've got different ways of beating you. They're pretty much the complete team so we're going to have to be at our very best to challenge them.

“We will be going to fire some bullets and try and generate some opportunities.

“They don’t beat themselves, that’s for sure. We're going to have to throw a bunch at them and also to defend well and scramble hard, as they will be doing.

“We are looking forward to the opportunity to test ourselves.”