Liam Sutcliffe insists a lack of effort is not an issue within the Leeds Rhinos squad and that the tide will turn in the coming weeks. After a woeful start, a section of the Headingley fanbase has criticised members of the side for not putting in the required effort to turn fortunes around.
But Sutcliffe has quipped back at that suggestion, saying that there is a collective approach to resolve the issues that have left them at the foot of the table and out of the Challenge Cup seven weeks into the season.
"It hurts," Sutcliffe said when asked how such comments make him feel.
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"We don't go out there every week not putting effort in because it's not our job, the job is to go out there and put the effort in every week, it's just not showing for us at the moment. They're entitled to their opinion, it hurts if they think that, nobody goes out there not to put effort in and everyone goes out there trying their best, it's just not coming off for us at the moment."
Ahead of a daunting clash with St Helens, Sutcliffe is adamant that they will find an answer to the problems that have produced woeful results so far this year.
"We've been in positions like this for a few years," he said. "We're no stranger to being under this sort of adversity. We know when we do get it right, and at some point we will get it right, we'll go on a bit of a run, it's getting there at the moment which seems like a bit of a mountain to climb. Hopefully we can get there sooner rather than later to get."
