'So good, he makes your job easier': Find out who in Leeds Rhinos captain Kruise Leeming's latest column
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It has been a long couple of months. Winning has been great for the group and for me on the sideline watching, but it’s never the same.
I would be lying if I said winning without playing feels as good, it is almost like finding money rather than earning it.
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Hide AdEveryone’s cheering and going mad around you, but there’s a little bit missing, which is going through the heartache and the tough stuff to get that reward at the end of it.
It’s almost like you’ve cheated to get there.
With how well the lads have been going, I can’t wait to get out there on the field with them.
Coming into a team that’s going well and full of confidence makes my job easier, but I am just going to worry about myself.
Our form has been good, but this is a totally different week against fresh opposition.
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Hide AdIt’s not like you start with a four-point lead because you’re on a good run, it is 0-0 when the first whistle blows and what happens over the next 80 minutes decides who wins, not how either team has been playing.
We are going to have to be good because this game is probably the toughest challenge we’ve had in quite a few weeks.
It will be a benchmark and a test to see where we’re at. Giants are playing really well, they are above us on the table with plenty still to play for and they’ll be just as confident as we are.
One thing we’ve got in our favour is the game is at home. It will be a big crowd and that’s going to help us.
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Hide AdI have to mention how good our fans were last week during the Warrington game.
If that had been away, I am not sure we’d have won it because it was the crowd who got us through the last six minutes.
We were defending set after set after set and the lads have told me they could hear the roar of the crowd and that really gave them a lift just when they needed it.
On behalf of the team I’d like to say thanks to all our fans for what they’ve done and please keep it coming over these next few games.
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Hide AdWe’ve got three games left, all in 11 days and I see it as an exciting time.
When you are in good form it’s better the fixtures come thick and fast, because you get into a habit and there is a little bit of momentum going into games.
But it’s a squad effort; it’s not 17 players who win a Grand Final, it’s the whole group.
We’ve got three games in rapid succession, we have to travel to and from France and it will be a collective enterprise.
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Hide AdYou win trophies when you have depth and quality in your squad and I think that’s what we’ve got at the minute.
While I’ve been injured Jarrod O’Connor has had to come in, playing a different position at hooker.
He is probably a 13, he is a young lad, coming into such a complex position and he has been fantastic.
The same with Morgan Gannon, he is only 18, but he has been playing like a veteran.
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Hide AdI think the future of Leeds Rhinos looks really bright and we are going to need all those shining lights between now and the end of the season.
Morgan’s from the same community club as me, Siddal and I’ve got a lot of time for him.
He lives quite close to me and I travel over with him and Jack Sinfield and we have such a good laugh.
They are great lads, really well mannered and polite, from good backgrounds and they are really enjoyable to spend time with.
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Hide AdThey take little bits from me and listen to what I say and, I’ll be honest, I take things from them.
They are so young, but they’ve both got a good head on their shoulders. They are interesting people and they have been great for us.
It’s great to see Tom Briscoe back in full training and the 21-man squad for this week, after his injury.
He’s one of those players who makes your job on the field easier, he is that good, especially for me when he’s getting me quick rucks and I can run off the back of him.
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Hide AdIt’s very hard to play as a nine when your forwards or outside-backs are getting stopped dead and there’s not much to roll off.
Tom never seems to go down to the floor, he is so strong. The way he has approached his rehab has been outstanding and credit to him.
He has come back in fantastic shape and I am really excited to see how he goes.