Leeds Rhinos star Kallum Watkins

Peter Smith

Veteran Kallum Watkinsreveals why playing for Leeds Rhinos is an "honour and a privilege".

Transcript

00:00The performance, two tries, 80 minutes, some in warm conditions, some effort that can.

00:06Yeah, we're just happy to get the win, I think, especially after last week, we needed a response,

00:10and I thought, first half especially, we performed really well, completed and did our job,

00:15and what we planned to do, second half was a bit, seemed like a game of touch and pass a little bit,

00:20so I think both defences were quite poor, you know, obviously Brandon and Lannan probably won't be too happy about that,

00:27but at the same time, I think the positives are getting a good response from last week.

00:32It was, in terms of attack, it was probably as good as you've been this season,

00:3848 points is the most you've scored, and there were some real quality moments.

00:43Have you been happy with that as a team?

00:45Yeah, absolutely. I think we've got to work on the combinations, and again, that takes time,

00:49and then players have been moving into different positions, and you've got to find them combinations

00:54and try and work it out as much as possible, but once everything gets flowing, I think,

00:58if you looked at last week, we were even in the game, we didn't even put ourselves in the game

01:02to perform, and then things in attack, and we had to complete ourselves, and we did that really well,

01:10and obviously we showed a bit of quality with the ball as well, but on top of that,

01:15we need to work on defence, which is something that we need to improve on, but again,

01:22we couldn't be really positive, but we've got the result of bringing it to a team tonight,

01:25which, you know, they're good with the ball as well, so it was quite an entertaining game.

01:30An honour person, thank you.

01:31I mean, you've obviously enjoyed yourself since you came back.

01:36How's it been, everyone, sort of, to pronounce?

01:38Yeah, it's been good. I'm enjoying it.

01:40I mean, being welcomed from the guys again, you know, all of them, and also the guys,

01:46people at RKO as well, it's been quite a smooth transition to come over,

01:50and I'm just really grateful for giving the opportunity, and just, you know, like I said,

01:54I'm trying to grab both hands and look at the bottom of the team.

01:58I think it's a really good squad that's competing with each other, I think, in that shows,

02:02and obviously there's still plays that are fit, that can't make the team at the moment,

02:07which is positive for us, because we need to be on our own well out week in, week out,

02:13otherwise we won't be playing, so that's what we need.

02:17That's what's going to push us to be better, and to push.

02:21A few of us have been saying we've got too many backers that are playing absolutely new at the moment.

02:27Kyle, do you fancy a couple of else's in October?

02:30I've played everywhere at the minute, so I don't know what kind of decision,

02:33kind of cement, but for me I'm just trying to focus on playing and getting a good run of games,

02:39which is important, and obviously I believe it's always an honour,

02:44and obviously it's a privilege, and it comes with expectation,

02:47so you'll not be performing at your best, and you're expected to win,

02:50so for me it's just, I want to help seeing as much as possible a good experience from that,

02:55and hopefully we can progress on from there, but whatever happens happens,

02:59I'm not focusing on that, but focus on the next game.

03:03Must have felt like 2012 when you sent Gazov for a hot dog there,

03:07for that try, I mean, you sent everyone for a hot dog,

03:09were you expecting it, when did you realise you were going to dummy it?

03:12No, I've kind of seen him go, I looked at him quite early,

03:16and see, he's probably about to intercept him,

03:18I see him locking as well on the inside,

03:19and I remember he did it last year against one of our players playing at Salford,

03:25I think he did it a few times against the last year when he was playing full-back,

03:28and he'd set the ball, and it came off that time,

03:31so I kind of was in the back of my mind when I got the ball,

03:34and I knew it was full-back, Gazov's full-back,

03:36so, yeah, it was nice, nice to get over.

03:40Without going over the start of the season too much,

03:43when you're playing so well, does it help that there's stability,

03:46calmness, quiet, off the field,

03:47does that help you manifest and produce your best rugby,

03:50and you can go out and just focus on what matters?

03:52Yeah, I think so.

03:54Once you step on the field,

03:55you can always focus on being present in that moment,

03:59I think, and then the other things

04:00have probably not helped on the outside of that,

04:03has obviously affected through the week and prep and everything,

04:05so, once I've got in here,

04:09I knew how hard these guys were,

04:11how hard the coaches were in developing,

04:16and have the new players coming through as well,

04:19but also, as well as in the game as well,

04:22and obviously, the game plans that we have,

04:24and everything that we're expected to produce is important,

04:27and they're still getting everything in the week,

04:29and I can say that was the same as not,

04:34but other things made that a distraction,

04:37so, for me, it's helped massively.

04:40Just lastly, you would have played against him a lot,

04:45and you'd have taken out by now,

04:46and Jake liked to play that side,

04:48especially when he's playing this well.

04:49Yeah, he's great.

04:50He's great.

04:51Yeah, he's a competitor,

04:53and that's what we can call it.

04:56The game kind of slows down

04:57when I've got the ball in his hands,

04:58and it makes him tap,

05:00and especially during the week,

05:02knowing that I was going to play in the back row this week,

05:04and I think we've got our combinations pretty working pretty easily,

05:08so the long may that continue, obviously,

05:11but he's been outstanding this year,

05:13and I think he's going in this form,

05:16and I still would be up for Grout,

05:19and definitely, I think he's been that good.

05:21Great.

05:22Cheers, Kyle.

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