LEEDS head coach Brad Arthur hailed his side’s response to last week’s abject defeat to Hull FC as the Rhinos hit back to beat Warrington 26-22 in a hard-fought Super League clash at Headingley.

Arthur had been scathing of his side’s display at the MKM Stadium and they delivered the performance he demanded as late tries from home debutant Jack Bird and Brodie Croft ended Wire’s unbeaten start to the season.

“I’m just pleased that we’re happy to win it tough and gritty,” said Arthur. “That’s what I’m trying to instil. We need to play like that all the time — we get frustrated like last week when it’s not 40-0.

“We’ve just got to come into games knowing that teams are turning up and putting their best foot forward against us. When we get into a fight we’re good. It’s about not getting frustrated, like we did last week.”

Meanwhile Arthur, whose contract at Headingley runs out at the end of the current season, gave short shrift to the latest rumours about his future after Australian media named him as a potential contender for the vacant role at National Rugby League side Manly.

“What happens back in Australia I’ve got no control over,” said Arthur. “People can say I’m doing this or that, but I’m with this team right now and I’ve got until June 30 to decide whether I’m going or not.

“I don’t think it’s fair that I need to continue to justify my position at the club.”

Warrington head coach Sam Burgess had few complaints after watching his side’s unbeaten start to the new season brought to an end.

“It’s a tough loss, they were very hard conditions to manage for both sides, they’re very dangerous and we paid for our lack of managing that in the second half,” said Burgess.

“But I’m really proud of our effort to keep challenging. Today wasn’t the result we wanted but it’s OK, as a group we’ll definitely learn and we’ll keep learning throughout the whole season so today’s just another day.”