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Matthew Shaw

Leeds Rhinos' faltering squad face crucial 'week off' as they look to fix up issues

Jamie Jones-Buchanan says the Leeds Rhinos coaching staff will make the most of every last second they have with the players this week as they look to fix up the issues that have damaged them throughout the season. The Rhinos don't have a game this week after being knocked out of the Challenge Cup, giving Jones-Buchanan precious contact time with the squad throughout the week without the need to prepare for a game.

The interim boss insists it is imperative that the improvements required are made this week to help turn their fortunes around. Leeds currently have just one win from eight games but Jones-Buchanan believes a week off will greatly help their cause.

"I've been talking to Rich Hunwicks, who is in charge of our strength and conditioning and performance staff," he said. "We've got a plan as to what we want to do, make the most of it and we're really going to make the most out of every minute.

Read more: Leeds Rhinos star Alex Mellor gets engaged to shocked long-term partner

"We can rip into them, get their bodies up to a heart rate where it hurts them. We had a session on Tuesday and it started with a bit of body in front and takedown and we just got into them, fired into the boys and got them holding each other to account. By the end of the session, they were firing right up, whacking each other. It was like feeding meat to the lions and that is what they've needed feeding.

"War is part of it, it is war at Friday night at eight o'clock out on that dancefloor and you've got to be conditioned to fight that war. You could see they started to enjoy it and that's the place where we want to take them without hurting them, making sure they're well prepped. But we have every resource we need in this building. All the answers are in here, absolutely in here, we just need to pick them out and get the boys to buy and believe in it."

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