Leeds Knights captain Kieran Brown is looking for his side to get back to winning ways as they travel to Swindon Wildcats on Friday before facing Basingstoke Bison on Saturday.
The Leeds Knights face a challenging double away weekend, with trips to Swindon Wildcats and Basingstoke Bison offering an opportunity to get points back on the board.
Captain Kieran Brown believes a strong start on Friday will be crucial to the weekend, highlighting the importance of setting the tone from the opening game.
“Yeah, obviously it's massive. I think it will be quite good for our team to just get away and get some team bonding. Obviously, we'll be staying down in Swindon after the game. To get them points on the first night is massive and it sets the tone for the weekend.”
With two games on the road in quick succession, the Knights will need to adapt to life away from home, but Brown insists the squad cannot use that as an excuse.
“You’re not in your own bed, you're not eating the same foods that you'd normally eat, so you've got to adjust to that, but at the end of the day, you've got no excuses because we're all in the same boat.”
Despite recent results not going the Knights' way, Brown believes there have been positives in the team's performances, with the focus now on making the small improvements needed to turn things around.
“I think we've been good. Obviously, we've not been getting the wins that we would like, but we're plugging away. We're really trying to listen and take on board what Ryan's saying, because obviously he's a great coach and he knows what he's doing, but I think it's just the little details that we need to fix, and then once that's fixed, we should be good.”
Whilst working hard in training this week ahead of two important games, there is also a focus on ensuring the atmosphere within the group remains positive.
“A lot of D-zone coverage, breakouts and stuff. Just keeping it fun too, because when you're not winning games, it can get a little bit tough, so we're trying to keep it fun and a good environment to be in.”
For Brown, the key this weekend is to trust the process and continue taking on board the coaching staff's instructions.
“I think just to stick to what Ryan's telling us, and then hopefully the points will start coming our way.”
Friday's trip to Swindon will see the Knights face an opponent they have yet to play this season, while Saturday brings a return meeting with Basingstoke Bison.
Brown expects both sides to provide a difficult test, but believes Leeds have what it takes to come away with points.
“I think they're going to be fast, well-coached. Obviously we've played Basingstoke now, so we know what they bring, but Swindon, we've not played them yet. I know they've got Ben O'Connor back now, so obviously it's going to be tough, but I believe it's in our room to get them points.”
As captain, Brown is also keen to ensure the group remains focused and continues to learn from recent results rather than making drastic changes.
“Try not to change too much. Just kind of stick to what we know. We've never really been in this situation before where we've lost this many games, so it's quite new to me and new to a lot of the guys, so just to stick to what we know, take on board and look back at our mistakes, and obviously try not to repeat that, and try to get some more points on board.”
With two away games in two days, the Knights have an opportunity to build momentum and carry a positive result into next weekend.
For Brown, success would mean getting the team moving in the right direction and restoring confidence within the group.
“I think just to get the train going; get it going, if we can get these points, we can just plug away again next weekend and just keep that motivation in the room and keep it going.”
The Knights travel to Swindon Wildcats on Friday before heading to Basingstoke Bison on Saturday, with Brown and his teammates determined to turn their hard work into points on the road.
