Zak Hardaker insists there is no crisis at Leeds Rhinos as he targets top four
Tuesday 5 April 2016 12:33, UK
Zak Hardaker insists Leeds Rhinos still have their sights set on a top-four finish in Super League.
Last season's champions are 11th in the table, 12 points adrift of leaders Warrington, after winning just two of their first nine matches and will go to Salford on Saturday rock bottom if fellow strugglers Huddersfield win at Hull on Friday night.
However, full-back Hardaker insists the Rhinos will not give up their crown without a fight.
"We've still got our sights on the top four," said the reigning Man of Steel. "We believe we can get there but at the moment we've got to shorten our sights and try and beat Salford on Saturday. That's where we're at.
"There's no crisis whatsoever, there's no panic. We've been in similar situations before, probably not as bad, where we finished fifth and went on to win the Grand Final when nobody thought it was possible.
"Last year we got wrote off a few times and went on to do the treble so this is not new to us. The position on the league table is new but all the boys are rallying together, we're just trying to get that spark we've been missing."
Like many teams, the Rhinos have been badly hit by injuries - skipper Danny McGuire made his first full appearance more than two months into the campaign and Stevie Ward has yet to pull on Kevin Sinfield's old No 13 shirt.
Hardaker also believes the loss of the club's training facilities, swept away in the Boxing Day floods, has affected the champions more seriously than many realise.
Last year we got wrote off a few times and went on to do the treble so this is not new to us.
"There's quite a lot of things we could put our finger on I reckon," he said. "Since our changing facilities went down, we haven't got a steady gym or pitch, so that's not been really helpful.
"We're using local gyms - sometimes fans are in there at the same time which is not ideal - and sometimes we train at Leeds Uni but they get first choice so we've got to shop about for a pitch.
"It's not that difficult for the players, it's just a piece of grass and we just turn up and train, but it's difficult for the backroom staff trying to sort our week out.
"Then the injuries are not very helpful and the loss of form, people are not playing as well as they did last year or not living up to expectations yet. We just need to get that first win and get that confidence around the camp again."
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