LEEDS RHINOS 36 WARRINGTON WOLVES 12
PHIL CAPLAN, AMT Headingley, Saturday
LEEDS promised a ‘party on the pitch’ with DJ Pat Sharp after the game but gave one beforehand as they comprehensively downed a Warrington side that showed spirit in the first half but were blown away in the second.
Rhinos, with an almost embarrassment of riches, could afford to play returning Andy Ackers in the reserves along with Cooper Jenkins, Alfie Edgell and Matt Frawley while Morgan Gannon was recalled to the starting line-up.
Josh Thewlis moved to fullback for the visitors, replacing Challenge Cup final facial victim Matt Dufty, as Connor Wrench covered the wing.
The contest promised intrigue as to if the Wolves had healed the psychological scars of the heartbreak the week before – and with a need to resurrect their league campaign – and if Leeds could make the challenge at the top a three-horse race.
Both questioned were rather emphatically answered.
Warrington weathered a difficult start, three times restricted to around 20 metres in their opening sets, while the Rhinos found space with the ball early on.
Twice in the same set Ryan Hall powered forward, Toby King doing superbly well to keep out Harry Newman on the last. Then after Paul Vaughan lost the ball, Adam Holroyd sensationally denied Lachlan Miller, forcing a knock-on as he looked to ground.
The kicking of George Williams and Marc Sneyd offered Wire some relief and Vaughan was hauled down short by Kallum Watkins on his 400th career appearance.
Tom Holroyd broke clear on his first charge for Leeds, Jake Connor sent Gannon through and then Brodie Croft put Newman over, but the play was brought back for obstruction by James McDonnell.
As it looked as though the half would end scoreless, Williams lost the ball on his own 40, Croft prompted left and right, and Jarrod O’Connor sent Cameron Smith to the posts.
Just before the break, Connor had a drop-goal attempt charged down, but he got two points instead of one when, on the last play of the half, James Harrison went high on Gannon and conceded a penalty.
The Wolves having done so much defending, the opening score of the second period seemed crucial, and it went to Leeds.
Points came from a seven-tackle set, Connor chipping to the posts on the last and Miller catching and feeding Smith who forced his way over.
On the next set, Connor, Miller, Ash Handley, Riley Lumb and Miller broke. Williams made a sensational tackle but Croft then went solo to power over for a 20-0 lead.
Williams’ fine pass allowed Lachlan Fitzgibbon to set up Thewlis, with a lovely step, to give Warrington hope for their endeavour.
But King misjudged the kick-off, and from the drop-out Connor sent Holroyd to the posts.
Then Max Wood lost the ball for Connor to jink over and remove any doubt over the result with a quarter left.
Thewlis produced a sensational tackle to deny Lumb from Smith’s lovely lofted pass and after Leeds failed to play the ball on their own 20 and Hall knocked down a scoring pass, Ben Currie crossed from the scrum.
Warrington ran out of room in their own half and Gannon, who was unplayable in the first half, crashed over, Watkins marking his personal landmark with the conversion – his first goal in seven years.
GAMESTAR: Jake Connor toyed with the Warrington defence, setting up tries for support runners and jinking over himself in another virtuoso display.
GAMEBREAKER: Tries three minutes before and after half-time by Cameron Smith gave Leeds the impetus for victory.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Josh Thewlis made a sensational tackle with the overall cause lost to deny Riley Lumb in the corner.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Jake Connor (Leeds)
2 pts Josh Thewlis (Warrington)
1 pt Brodie Croft (Leeds)
MATCHFACTS
RHINOS
1 Lachlan Miller
5 Ryan Hall
3 Harry Newman
4 Ash Handley
23 Riley Lumb
6 Brodie Croft
18 Jake Connor
8 Mikolaj Oledzki
14 Jarrod O’Connor
10 Keenan Palasia
16 Morgan Gannon
12 James McDonnell
28 Kallum Watkins
Subs (all used)
19 Tom Holroyd
13 Cameron Smith
15 Sam Lisone
11 James Bentley
18th man (not used)
17 Cooper Jenkins
Also in 21-man squad
9 Andy Ackers
20 Jack Sinfield
21 Alfie Edgell
Tries: C Smith (33, 43), Croft (45), Holroyd (52), Connor (61), Gannon (78)
Goals: Connor 5/6, Watkins 1/1
WOLVES
2 Josh Thewlis
33 Arron Lindop
4 Rodrick Tai
3 Toby King
20 Connor Wrench
6 George Williams
35 Marc Sneyd
13 Luke Yates
14 Sam Powell
10 Paul Vaughan
21 Adam Holroyd
12 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
11 Ben Currie
Subs (all used)
8 James Harrison
15 Joe Philbin
17 Jordy Crowther
24 Max Wood
18th man (not used)
26 Dan Russell
Also in 21-man squad
19 Stefan Ratchford
28 Jake Thewlis
22 Tom Whitehead
Tries: Josh Thewlis (49), Currie (73)
Goals: Sneyd 2/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 8-0; 14-0, 20-0, 20-6, 26-6, 30-6, 30-12, 36-12
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rhinos: Jake Connor; Wolves: Josh Thewlis
Penalty count: 2-2
Half-time: 8-0
Referee: Chris Kendall
Attendance: 14,306