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Super League: How Leeds Rhinos and Castleford Tigers have battled half-back conundrums in 2022 | Rugby League News

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Castleford lost another half-back when Danny Richardson was injured in the defeat to Salford

Castleford lost another half-back when Danny Richardson was injured in the defeat to Salford

There are few head coaches across the Betfred Super League at present who are not facing their squad being ravaged by injuries, although perhaps none have been hit as hard in one key position as Castleford Tigers head coach Lee Radford.

Such is the number of injuries which have affected Castleford’s half-back options this year, Radford would be forgiven for wondering if there is some sort of curse over his pivots in 2022 as they head into a winner-takes-all play-off decider away to Leeds Rhinos, live on Sky Sports, on Saturday.

Danny Richardson joined Gareth O’Brien and Jake Trueman on the sidelines after suffering a suspected ACL injury in Bank Holiday Monday’s 50-10 defeat at home to Salford Red Devils, meaning that – not for the first time this year – the makeshift duo of winger Greg Eden and hooker Paul McShane will likely line-up in the halves at Headingley.

Leeds Rhinos vs Castleford Tigers

September 3, 2022, 2:30pm

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“I think we’re down to option five and six,” Radford said, discussing how the disruption has affected the Tigers this season. “When you’re that far down the pecking order, you know you’re going to be in for a little bit of bother in the fluency that you play with and your kicking game as well.

“What comes with that as well is not just the actual kick but putting yourself in a position to kick. Greg is not a natural kicker of the football and neither is Jake Mamo, so there’s our spine right there.

“There’s no secret Paul McShane will do the majority of our kicking and Adam Milner is not a natural kicker out of No 9 either, so to go to the biggest pitch on the planet and go there with no kicking game is another challenge we’re going to have to face.”

One head coach who would certainly sympathise with having to cycle through ever-changing half-back pairings is his opposite number this weekend, Rohan Smith, who has experienced the same since taking charge at the Rhinos in May.

Castleford Tigers half-back pairings in Super League 2022

Players Games played together
Jake Trueman Gareth O’Brien 10
Danny Richardson Jake Trueman 4
Gareth O’Brien Danny Richardson 4
Greg Eden Danny Richardson 4
Paul McShane Jake Trueman 3
Gareth O’Brien Paul McShane 1

Prior to the start of the season, much of the focus at Leeds had been on what impact their duo of Aidan Sezer and Blake Austin would have. However, a combination of injuries and suspension means the pair have only played alongside each other in nine of the Rhinos’ 26 Super League games so far.

Indeed, Leeds have utilised no fewer than 11 different half-back partnerships in the competition in 2022, although that has been mitigated by the versatile Richie Myler filling in at the position he made his name in, when not being deployed in the full-back role he has transitioned to in recent years.

Myler did so again alongside up-and-coming half-back Jack Sinfield – son of rugby league great Kevin – in the 32-18 loss away to Catalans Dragons on Monday, although Sezer and Austin are both expected to feature against Castleford after returning from suspension and injury respectively.

“Aidan is starting to get a bit of form and a bit of rhythm and flow into his game after a couple of disruptions this season,” Smith said. “But he’s an experienced guy, he knows how to play, so he’ll be ready to jump back in and be fresh after a Bank Holiday long weekend.

Leeds Rhinos half-back pairings in Super League 2022

Players Games played together
Aidan Sezer Blake Austin 9
Aidan Sezer Richie Myler 3
Richie Myler Blake Austin 3
Blake Austin Liam Sutcliffe 2
Blake Austin Kruise Leeming 2
Richie Myler Cameron Smith 2
Blake Austin Jack Sinfield 1
Kruise Leeming Jack Sinfield 1
Richie Myler Jack Sinfield 1
Aidan Sezer Corey Johnson 1
Corey Johnson Liam Sutcliffe 1

“It’s not about any one individual and we’re not really looking for the big play or big moments, we’re looking at that consistency of performance through players who play and the process we’re striving to execute.”

It is not just in the halves where Castleford are having to adapt, though, with other players being pulled out of position to or having to play longer minutes than they would normally.

Nevertheless, Alex Mellor believes the squad are rising to the challenge as they bid to extend their season into the play-offs when they take on his former club Leeds.

“It’s little things like people putting their hands up and playing long minutes when they need to and things like that,” Mellor said. “We’ve all adapted to it and taken it on board.

Highlights of the Super League clash between the Castleford Tigers and the Salford Red Devils

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Highlights of the Super League clash between the Castleford Tigers and the Salford Red Devils

Highlights of the Super League clash between the Castleford Tigers and the Salford Red Devils

“The injury crisis is huge and it’s across Super League; I don’t know what it is, but it’s happening, and every club has to deal with it differently.

“Every club probably thinks they’re getting the worst of it – we certainly think we are. Whether it’s bad luck or something like that, it’s just one of those things we have to react to and react well to, and hopefully that’s what we’re doing.”

For his part, Smith is not too concerned about who may or may not be lining up against the Rhinos for the match in which the winner earns the sixth and final Super League play-off place, citing a similar situation when the sides met at Magic Weekend in Newcastle and Leeds eventually emerged 34-20 victors.

“Before we played them at Magic, there was similar chat about people not being available and they played a real hard game that day – and it was a good hard game,” Smith said.

Highlights of the Catalans Dragons clash with Leeds Rhinos in the Super League

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Highlights of the Catalans Dragons clash with Leeds Rhinos in the Super League

Highlights of the Catalans Dragons clash with Leeds Rhinos in the Super League

“Despite the scoreline, I believe it was much closer than that and we’re expecting a battle.”

Named squads

Leeds Rhinos: Liam Sutcliffe, Ash Handley, Blake Austin, Mikolaj Oledzki, Kruise Leeming, Matt Prior, James Bentley, Rhyse Martin, Zane Tetevano, Brad Dwyer, Richie Myler, Cameron Smith, Tom Briscoe, Morgan Gannon, Sam Walters, Jarrod O’Connor, James Donaldson, Liam Tindall, Jack Sinfield, Zak Hardaker.

Castleford Tigers: Derrell Olpherts, Jake Mamo, Bureta Faraimo, Paul McShane, George Lawler, Adam Milner, Joe Westerman, Nathan Massey, George Griffin, Mahe Fonua, Alex Sutcliffe, Daniel Smith, Greg Eden, Suaia Matagi, Brad Martin, Sam Hall, Cain Robb, Jason Qareqare, Alex Mellor.



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