ENGLAND players have called on fans to be even louder and prouder when they try to deny Australia a series clean sweep in Leeds this Saturday.

Everyone was impressed with the passion and volume shown in Liverpool but, as the series finale enters the game’s true heartland, skipper George Williams led the pleas for more of the same.

He said: “The stadium (Hill Dickinson) is great and the atmosphere was really good and that’s what we need more of at Headingley.

“We’ll need 20-odd thousand or how ever many are in there to be rocking.”

Morgan Smithies, who plays week in, week out for Canberra Raiders in the NRL, was heavily involved at Everton, as shown by the post-match bruises and facial scares, and commented: “The atmosphere was probably one of the best I’ve ever played in front of.

“I was getting quite emotional singing the national anthem.”

Mikey Lewis, who was forced to watch much of the game from the bench, concurred and added: “The atmosphere today was incredible and I think being up north helped.

“That’s what rugby league is all about and I felt that the Aussies really felt it too.”

Two current Leeds stars, back in England shirts last weekend and hoping to maintain their places in Yorkshire were Kallum Watkins and Mikolaj Oledzki.

Watkins, famously was ankle tapped to prevent an almost certain try late in the 2017 World Cup Final which England lost 6-0, said:

“The atmosphere and the crowd were great today – I really enjoyed being out there.

“That’s what it’s all about and hopefully we can do it again next week.”

Neither Watkins nor his fellow Rhino had appeared for the national side for three years and Oledzki stressed: “Wembley was great but today (Saturday) was even better.

“They got a proper northern welcome and when Reece (Walsh) was sent off (sin-binned) they really got behind us again.

“We are heartbroken about the way it ended as we felt we could have got more out of the game.

“You could tell the difference because you could hear the noise and how loud Everton was when we got close and had penalties and that led to more of an even game.

“Headingley is not like a football ground as the fans are right there next to you – you can almost touch them and that could make a real difference.

“When you play Wigan or Saints on a Friday night the atmosphere is incredible and it’s up another level.

“I get goosebumps thinking about how electric it could be and the Aussies won’t have previously experienced anything like it.”