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WINNING AT Wembley has made qualifying for the Betfred Super League play-offs “significantly” more challenging, Leeds Rhinos boss Richard Agar says.

But he insists his team – who begin a run of six games in little more than two weeks when they take on St Helens at TW Stadium tonight – will give it a “really good go”.

Agar’s initial 21-man squad for tonight includes only seven players who featured in the Coral Challenge Cup final win over Salford Red Devils six days ago.

Agar admitted the champions and league leaders are a “massive challenge” for his young side and he stressed: “We desperately want to make the top-four, but I think things have fallen in a very difficult way for us.”

Leeds Rhinos head coach Richard Agar celebrates with Liam Sutcliffe after the Challenge Cup final victory. Picture: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com.

He said: “Before our Challenge Cup games, we decided to field less-experienced teams against a couple of top-four sides, we are coming off the back of a very tiring, emotional weekend and now we have got six games in 17 days – and three games in six days after [tonight].

“For us, it is about getting a balance.

“We are going to get a team out there [at St Helens] as strong as we possibly can, but I am keen not to play anyone who is not 100 per cent fit.

“We have got players who I know if I play them in this game they probably won’t play in the next two or three.

‘Penalised’ Leeds Rhinos face ‘significant’ challenges says Richard Agar