LEEDS RHINOS forward Rhyse Martin missed eight weeks of pre-season after taking an extended break following a gruelling 2023.
Martin not only did the full length of the Super League season, but he also played in the Pacific Championships that took place Down Under at the end of the domestic campaign.
With such a demanding workload, the 30-year-old has explained that his body had to rest for two months in order to prepare him for the new season.
“I’ve only been back since January so I missed eight weeks of pre-season before Christmas. Since I’ve been back, it’s been enjoyable and it’s been good to get back into a routine and be around the team again,” Martin told League Express.
“Everyone is at the point where they are ready to but just from the season before, it was a long year and I also played with PNG so it gave me that extra break.
“My whole body needed the break so I’m grateful for that and ready for the year.”
Of course, the 2023 Super League season didn’t exactly go well for the Rhinos, with Rohan Smith’s men finishing outside the play-offs despite making it all the way to Old Trafford for the Grand Final back in 2022.
In terms of what went wrong for Leeds last year, Martin cannot exactly pinpoint the issue/issues.
“It’s probably something I’ve kind of forgotten about last season but I just think we didn’t start the year too well,” Martin continued.
“We came off the back of a Grand Final the year before and went into the season with the same intent but it just didn’t go that way.
“It deflated the squad a fair bit and we had a few injuries as well. We definitely didn’t play anywhere near how we can play but I just hope that doesn’t happen this season.
“I can’t quite put my finger on why it went wrong.”
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