Jamie Jones-Buchanan reckons there “loads of time” left to save Leeds Rhinos from relegation but admits they are in a “horrendous” predicament. The Headingley giants have endured a disastrous campaign so far and head coach Richard Agar stepped down last month, leaving Jones-Buchanan in interim charge.
The former second-rower is a club legend from his 20-season playing career at Leeds but has so far presided over two defeats, at home to Castleford Tigers in the Challenge Cup before another loss last Friday against champions St Helens. The Rhinos have won just one game all season and are gearing up for the dismal prospect of a relegation dogfight.
“I’ve already acknowledged the gravity of the situation, it's horrendous, it’s terrible,” said Jones-Buchanan. “But I’m a half glass full type guy, so I look at that as there’s three quarters of the season left so there’s loads of time.
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“I know what this group can do in half a season. I think what is really important is that we don’t panic and hold our nerve ‘smile in the face of adversity’ to quote the Royal Marines.”
Jones-Buchanan admitted defending champions St Helens are the benchmark for Leeds to aspire to. He added: “There are loads we need to fix up. You look at a team like St Helens, I don't think they're that good because of what they did in this pre-season just gone.
“They're that good because they've been building on their environment and their culture. I'm fed up of talking about culture here, culture is about the people who occupy the building, the building itself is almost irrelevant.
“So what we need to do is start compounding some behaviours and values that some of those young blokes can pick up, hold and preserve and in five or six years' time they'll be having those dynasties where they're competing in finals on a regular basis and talking about it being back at the Rhinos.”
Headingley supremo Gary Hetherington is currently in Australia to meet a number of candidates for the Leeds job and it remains to be seen how long Jones-Buchanan will be left holding the fort. Jones-Buchanan, who served alongside Sean Long as Agar’s assistant, said: “I'm patient. God willing, I'll be in it for the long haul as I've been at this club for 25 or 26 years and I've loved every minute.
“I've had some ups and downs and I'll say this, it's really important talking about loyalty and commitment when you're going to collect a winner's ring or Challenge Cup. It's moments like now when loyalty and commitment is valued.
“We're here, sticking our head above the parapet and in the proverbial foxholes getting shot at. Now we've got to survive. We've been here before and we'll come out the other side.”
