LEEDS RHINOS 12 HULL FC 18
PHIL CAPLAN, AMT Headingley, Friday
HULL completed a notable double in a season of disappointment at Leeds, who were carrying a hangover from their defeat to Wigan the week before rather than giving the kind of response Brad Arthur had called for.
The Black and Whites, who had nothing to lose and plenty to prove, defended magnificently against a glut of possession for the hosts but the Rhinos struggled to carve out decisive chances and were wasteful on a number of occasions as they closed out the regular season with back-to-back defeats.
Leeds shuffled their back division in preparation for a home play-off semi-final, with the competition’s leading try-scorer Maika Sivo back after a fractured arm and skipper Ash Handley replacing Lachie Miller. Brodie Croft made his 200th career appearance.
Up front for the hosts, Keenan Palasia made a welcome return and Matt Lodge his first start.
It was the final appearance in black and white for a number of players, the most notable Tom Briscoe who fittingly made his 400th in Super League against his former club – and was given a fantastic ovation from all sides – among a young spine.
Hull made a disastrous start, allowing the kick off to go into touch, but Chris Hankinson knocked-on in an early let-off.
From their next set, Leeds forced a goal-line drop-out, but Sivo was bundled into touch by Harvey Barron and they passed up another opportunity after Lodge got the ball away in midfield, Jack Bird fumbling Connor’s grubber to the line.
The sides exchanged set restarts, with Arthur Romano leading a Hull break, but Davy Litten was unable to take his pass.
At the other end, chances continued to pass Leeds by. Sivo couldn’t reel in Handley’s flick pass and Ryan Hall knocked-on an attempted interception before Hull won the game’s first penalty from a successful captain’s challenge, but they couldn’t make it count.
Handley was stopped by Jake Arthur on the last as the hosts piled on the pressure, but it was instead Hull who took the lead with 20 minutes played.
From their next penalty, Briscoe cleverly slipped in Logan Moy to open the scoring, with Lloyd Kemp scoring the first of three goals.
The Rhinos rotated their pack, with Cameron Smith particularly impressing, but again Handley was denied by Arthur.
However, when Briscoe’s pass flew into touch on his own 30-metre line, Leeds took advantage when Hankinson powered over from the turnover, Connor bringing the scores level from the tee.
As a strong bench began to take charge, Lewis Martin’s hand prevented Harry Newman from sending Hall in out wide and Kemp touched Newman’s grubber dead, while Martin was forced in-goal from a Connor kick.
But the Black and Whites’ rearguard held on commendably to leave it level at the break.
Leeds started the second half strongly, with Smith kept out after claiming a Connor kick, before the halfback attempting a 40/20 but instead gave away a seven-tackle set.
Sivo won a penalty and Brodie Croft forced a fourth goal-line drop-out – which Hull recovered after opting to go short – but though a Hugo Salabio knock-on gave the Rhinos possession back inside the attacking half, Sivo was taken into touch by Barron from a neat scrum move.
The hosts were made to rue their missed chances when Hull nudged back ahead on 52 minutes, Kemp scampering over from another drop-out to cap a fine performance with a try, which he then converted.
Hull again allowed the kick off to go dead, but though they defended the error vigorously, Leeds continued to threaten.
A Croft kick forced another drop-out, from which Jarrod O’Connor was held up before Newman’s pass to Hall rolled into touch, and the visitors were left breathing another sigh of relief when Croft’s cross-field kick was knocked-on by Connor, with Bird denied a try.
The Black and Whites again responded superbly, opening up an 18-6 lead with seven minutes remaining. Moy’s fine break set the tone, with Ethan O’Neill snaffling the ball clear before Hardaker put Lennon Clark in at the posts, Kemp goaling.
Leeds staged a late comeback, with Lodge sending in Watkins for a converted try with two minutes left to play, but their last chance to set up a dramatic finish ended when Bird’s pass inside along the ground drifted forward.
GAMESTAR: Lively throughout, young Hull hooker Lloyd Kemp looks a fine prospect and grabbed a deserved, smart try
GAMEBREAKER: Lennon Clark’s late try ensured Hull ended their season on an unexpected high.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Tom Briscoe’s twist and pass on his big, final night to send in Logan Moy for the opening score.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Lloyd Kemp (Hull FC)
2 pts Jake Arthur (Hull FC)
1 pt Keenan Palasia (Leeds)
MATCHFACTS
RHINOS
4 Ash Handley
2 Maika Sivo
3 Harry Newman
33 Jack Bird
5 Ryan Hall
6 Brodie Croft
7 Jake Connor
8 Mikolaj Oledzki
9 Jarrod O’Connor
31 Matt Lodge
20 Presley Cassell
14 Chris Hankinson
13 Keenan Palasia
Subs (all used)
10 Tom Holroyd
11 Kallum Watkins
15 Cooper Jenkins
17 Cameron Smith
18th man (not used)
28 Fergus McCormack
Also in 21-man squad
22 Riley Lumb
26 Tom Nicholson-Watton
30 Zak Lloyd
Tries: Hankinson (30), Watkins (77)
Goals: Connor 2/2
HULL FC
24 Logan Moy
2 Harvey Barron
3 Davy Litten
19 Tom Briscoe
5 Lewis Martin
22 Connor Bailey
6 Jake Arthur
8 Herman Ese’ese
32 Lloyd Kemp
10 Harvie Hill
21 Arthur Romano
39 Ethan O’Neill
15 James Bell
Subs (all used)
4 Zak Hardaker
25 Matty Laidlaw
26 Hugo Salabio
36 Lennon Clark
18th man (not used)
29 Will Hutchinson
Also in 21-man squad
7 Aidan Sezer
9 Amir Bourouh
35 Ben Johnson
Tries: Moy (20), Kemp (52), Clark (73)
Goals: Kemp 3/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6; 6-12, 6-18, 12-18
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rhinos: Keenan Palasia; Hull FC: Lloyd Kemp
Penalty count: 3-5
Half time: 6-6
Referee: Aaron Moore
Attendance: 16,402