For the superstitious Leeds Rhinos supporters, the relevance of last week's victory over Warrington Wolves will not be lost on them. The round 17 victory moved Rohan Smith's side to within four points of the play-offs and with ten rounds remaining, the top six remains an achievable goal.
It was in round 17 of the 2022 campaign that the Rhinos kickstarted a remarkable run of results that culminated in one of the most unlikely Grand Final appearances Super League has seen. Leeds thrashed Hull FC 62-16 in the same game round last year and that was the beginning of an excellent run of nine wins in eleven games that saw them surge into the play-offs, and nobody needs reminding what happened from there.
Leeds will likely need to go on a similar run this year and ultimately there remain some serious questions as to whether they are capable of going on a similar run this time. They are capable of producing performances, of that there is no question, but whether they can do it consistently is, at this point, entirely unclear. That's evident in the fact that Leeds haven't won any more than two games on the spin so far this season.
Two good results against struggling teams can't overshadow what has come before it. The improvement in victory over Huddersfield was remarkable and their ability to back that up with another good performance against Warrington was a positive step in the right direction. Ultimately, those two wins have kept their top-six hopes alive, but that's as far as it goes. Performances will have to remain where they are for the rest of the season to improve their chances. Reverting back to being hot and cold will leave Leeds where they are.
Read more: Jai Field victim of viral prank leaving Wigan Warriors teammate in stitches
Sunday's trip to Salford Red Devils feels significant not only because they currently occupy the sixth and final play-off position but because it's another opportunity to take on a struggling team. The Reds have lost their last three games and their performances, particularly in defeats to Hull KR and Wakefield Trinity, have been very out of character. But they are set to welcome back Ryan Brierley, Brodie Croft and Andy Ackers on Sunday so you can guarantee they will be better than they have been in recent weeks. Leeds will have to be on form to win.
If Leeds triumph they'll be two points behind Salford with a superior points difference. Lose and they could find themselves six points adrift of the play-offs with nine games remaining. Overturning that will take some doing. The positive for Leeds and Smith is that they've been here before and came through superbly. There's no reason why they can't do it again. But there's very little room for manoeuvre.
