It's undeniable that Leeds Rhinos' quench for victories remains high. Victory over Toulouse Olympique last week has somewhat eased the pressure but the Rhinos remain in a pretty lousy position seven points adrift of the play-offs.
The visit of Hull KR, who will no doubt have one eye on a Challenge Cup semi-final next week, would usually be the perfect opportunity to try and find another win to put them on a run. In reality, the more pressing issue is making sure they don't lose any more players.
The Rhinos have named a 21-man squad that isn't fully available due to Zak Hardaker's seizure. Among the remaining 20 players are five teenagers, of which four are most likely to play. Just like last year, Leeds have an injury crisis.
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That's an issue in itself the club must address. As Jamie Jones-Buchanan alluded to in his post-match interview last week, it's more than bad fortune when it happens repeatedly. But for now, Leeds need to make sure they have men on the training paddock.
The reason? Their new head coach arrives next Tuesday and will have a full week and then some to implement some of his philosophies and structure into the team. The only issue is, it's no good if there aren't any players out on the pitch.
Rohan Smith's arrival couldn't have come at a much better time. A watching brief tonight would have been ideal before getting stuck in over the weekend. But he does at least have some time with his squad without a match lingering over his head.
But if he is to oversee a mini pre-season he needs as many men on the field as possible. Zane Tetevano and James Bentley will be available after suspension for his first game in charge while the likes of Richie Myler, David Fusitu'a and Aidan Sezer should all be closing in on returns from their respective injuries.
Jones-Buchanan stated last week that he wouldn't risk anyone who would be considered a risk for this game and there was perhaps a deeper meaning to that comment than met the eye.
The truth is, Leeds aren't in much of a position to be picky about who plays and who doesn't anyway, the decision has basically been taken out of their hands. But while a victory would be a fantastic boost ahead of Smith's arrival, a more realistic objective tonight would be to avoid any further drives to the treatment room.
