BRIAN McDermott admitted his Leeds players were "shot" after earning a scrappy 22-14 win over Leigh in their third game in eight days of a "crazy" schedule.

The spring Bank Holiday double-header weekend, which was introduced to accommodate a pre-season England training camp that did not go ahead, has drawn widespread criticism from players and coaches.

It was the second double-header of the season following the traditional busy Easter period and the physical toll on both sets of players was evident as Leeds struggled to a victory that consolidated their place in Super League's top four.

McDermott said: "It's crazy. It's wrong. It doesn't work. We've got a longer week building up to Wakefield but it'll be in their bones still.

"You ask anyone who does a marathon or something which is a big ask physically, it's not just a couple of days' rest.

"Rugby league is one of the hardest sports in the world. I've got a bit of history in boxing and that's probably the hardest sport ever – both mentally and physically – but they only box every three months.

"We wouldn't be too far behind the physical demands of a boxer and the players do it every seven days. It wrecks their bodies.

"You can't overestimate the physical demands put on them. It's only when you go through the second weekend – my boys are shot in there."

The Rhinos were unable to back up their 40-0 victory over Warrington at bottom club Widnes last Monday but can at least look forward to a few days off on the back of a seventh win in eight home games.

Adam Cuthbertson continued his fine season with two tries, while Tom Briscoe and Joel Moon added one apiece to edge Leeds past a gutsy Leigh side missing a host of regulars.

McDermott said: "I'm pleased we won. Our defence essentially got us the game.

"It's clearly obvious there were things in offence we just couldn't get right. We had to deal with the weather – it was an unbelievably greasy ball – and there were 24 penalties awarded in the game.

"But I won't criticise the players. It was the third game (in a week), so what do you expect?"

The Centurions were right in the game at 14-10 at half-time courtesy of Matty Dawson's double but a lack of discipline – Antoni Maria and Dayne Weston were both sin-binned in the second half – cost the visitors.

"We've had to cope with this schedule with a more depleted squad than probably anyone in Super League," said Leigh head coach Neil Jukes, whose side remain in the bottom two.

"We had seven injured and two banned before we started. I think it's been four games in 12 days for us against the top four teams – Hull, Castleford, Salford and Leeds.

"It's obviously our first year in Super League and we've caught the brunt of that but I'm still glad we're in this competition, playing at these arenas and against the players we are. Hopefully we don't have to do it again."