'We have to move on': Ash Handley issues Leeds Rhinos warning for Wakefield Trinity Super League derby

Rhinos will go into the game as hot favourites, a week after breaking their duck for the season with a stunning 25-24 victory at St Helens.

Trinity are yet to get off the mark - and have not scored in their past two games - but that puts them in the same situation Rhinos were seven days earlier.

And though defeating the Betfred Super League and World Club champions on their own soil will send Leeds into the derby in buoyant mood, Handley has warned what happened last week will have no bearing when the first whistle sounds at Headingley in round four.

“If we’d lost [last week’s game] we’d have said we’ll put it to bed and move on,” the winger/centre stressed.

“We won, but we’ll do the same. We’re focused on Wakefield and we’re putting a plan in place to try and deal with them.

“It’s just about being on the same page with each other. I think we looked quite disjointed [in the opening two rounds], especially against Warrington and a little bit against Hull FC when we bombed quite a few chances.

“When we play together I think we are a lot better team and we’ve got a great side. There’s still a lot of bodies to come back so we are just looking forward to getting the season going now.”

Handley opened Rhinos’ account at TW Stadium, finishing off a sweeping long-range move begun by Nene Macdonald deep in Leeds’ territory.

It was his first touchdown since a home win over Warrington on August 19 last year and he feels some personal pressure has been lifted.

He said: “I was getting a bit nervous because I’d played all the trial games and didn’t get a try, then we were two games into the season and I hadn’t got a try. It was nice to get over and it was just good to help the team.”