Leeds Rhinos defeated Wakefield Trinity 10-17 today in the Wetherby Whaler Festive Challenge at Belle Vue in the opening game of the Betfred Super League pre-season fixture schedule.
Leeds coach Brian McDermott fielded six members of his Grand Final winning squad, with new faces Richie Myler and Brad Dwyer also in the starting lineup, while youngster Owen Trout, who was a late replacement for new signing Nathaniel Peteru, who pulled out with a hamstring strain, made his debut off the bench.
Wakefield coach Chris Chester gave debuts to Ryan Hampshire, Jordan Baldwinson in the starting lineup and Pauli Pauli off the bench.
The Rhinos scored the opening try on 15 minutes when Jordan Lilley took the ball to the line before finding Brad Singleton on his inside, with the Cumbrian touching down. Myler add the conversion.
After Carl Ablett was held up over the line, Trinity hit back when a Kyle Wood 40/20 put them in perfect field position for Ben Jones-Bishop to touch down in the right corner. James Batchelor missed the conversion, giving Leeds a 4-6 lead at the interval.
As the second half got underway Liam Sutcliffe also kicked a 40/20 and Jack Ormondroyd and Dwyer both got over the line, but both were held up.
But Ormondroyd wouldn’t be denied, and he touched down on 55 minutes, breaking from 30 metres out and beating Wakefield fullback Max Jowitt to the line.
Mikolaj Oledzki then extended the Rhinos’ lead from a Jimmy Keinhorst break, and Sutcliffe’s goal made it 6-16.
Wakefield replied ten minutes from time when Joe Arundel went over from a Ryan Hampshire pass and Batchelor’s conversion closed the gap to just six points.
Arundel almost scored again but was denied by great defence from Ashton Golding before Leeds man of the match Jordan Lilley knocked over a field-goal from in front of the posts to secure victory for the Rhinos in front of a crowd of 6,173
Trinity: 21 Max Jowitt, 5 Ben Jones-Bishop, 4 Reece Lyne, 18 Joe Arundel, 3 Bill Tupou, 9 Kyle Wood, 25 Ryan Hampshire, 10 Anthony England, 13 Tyler Randell, 22 Jordan Baldwinson, 19 James Batchelor, 12 Danny Kirmond (c), 16 Tinirau Arona. Subs: 15 Pauli Pauli, 20 Keegan Hirst, 23 Chris Annakin, 24 Mason Caton-Brown, 26 Luke Hooley, 27 Jordan Crowther, 29 Lewis Wray, 30 Christian Ackroyd.
Tries: Jones-Bishop, Arundel; Goals: Batchelor 1/2
Rhinos: 1 Ashton Golding, 2 Tom Briscoe, 3 Jimmy Keinhorst, 4 Liam Sutcliffe, 5 Ash Handley, 6 Jordan Lilley, 7 Richie Myler, 8 Anthony Mullally, 9 Brad Dwyer, 10 Brad Singleton (c), 11 Josh Walters, 12 Carl Ablett, 13 Jack Ormondroyd. Subs: 14 Jack Walker, 15 Cameron Smith, 16 Mikolaj Oledzki, 17 Owen Trout, 18 Josh Jordan-Roberts, 19 Harry Newman.
Tries: Singleton, Ormondroyd, Oledzki ; Goals: Myler 1/1, Sutcliffe 1/2; Field-goal: Lilley
Referee: Tom Grant
