PROP Joel Clinton says Hull KR's young stars must stand up and be counted tonight if they are to beat defending champions Leeds Rhinos.

With skipper Ben Galea, stand-off Blake Green and prop Ryan O'Hara all missing through injury, Clinton will be the most experienced player in Rovers' line-up at Headingley.

Already picked out as a key man for the Robins this season, Clinton will be expected to lead the way.

Keal Carlile and Jordan Cox have been named in Craig Sandercock's first 19-man squad and, if selected, the 30-year-old former Penrith and Brisbane prop hopes it will be a night when they shine.

"It's not just the older players that have to step up tonight, the young players do too," Clinton told the Mail.

"If you are selected to play in Super League, it's because the coach believes you are ready.

"That means there is a responsibility on the young players to all play well.

"Losing Ben is a big blow to us because he is a very experienced player, but we have other experienced players in the side like myself and Lincoln Withers.

"We have got to put Ben's injury behind us and move on and play with the cards we have been dealt."

For Clinton, changes to the rules for this season may mean changes to the way he plays, and the amount of time he is expected to be out on the field.

The permitted number of interchanges have fallen from 12 to 10, with the forwards the most likely to be affected as coaches look to get maximum impact from their big men – without running them into the ground.

Clinton knows it may take time to adapt, but says there have been no specific discussions over just how long he will be expected to play.

"I have to be ready to play for as long as the coach wants me to play," he said.

"We've not discussed how many spells I'll have in games because plans can change from one week to the next.

"One week you could need a rest earlier as you may have been defending non-stop for the first 15 minutes. Other weeks you may have to stop on longer because of injuries.

"We have some big blokes in the middle this year and we have a lot of front rowers at the club.

"We all need to be fitter though as a result of the interchanges coming down. That's a challenge for us big men who carry more kilos than the others.

"We are all pushing each other though and the props are being kept on their toes as a result of the changes."

Facing the defending champions tonight will certainly keep Clinton and Rovers on their toes.

But with a successful pre-season and a 36-18 win over Hull at the KC Stadium under their belts, Clinton is confident they are ready.

"Leeds are a good side. They have proved that in the past and again last season by winning the Grand Final after finishing fifth," said Clinton.

"It's a big game first up for us and it will be a tough challenge, but we go there concentrating on what we do as a team.

"If we can get our defence right and the ball bounces our way then fingers crossed we can come away with the win.

"We're not going to be making bold predictions, we just want our rugby to do the talking.

"We have put in place a lot of new structures that will hopefully prove successful."

Clinton is hoping for an injury-free season as he puts last year's disappointment behind him.

His season ended in May when a shoulder injury required surgery.

Having featured in all three pre-season games, with no adverse reaction, he is confident he can have a big year.

"It was tough missing out on so much of last season. I just want to put 2011 behind me," he said.

"All I'm focusing on are the two points on offer for beating Leeds. This is what it's all about. It's been a while for me but I am ready."