HUNSLET 0 YORK KNIGHTS 56
SAM BROCKSOM, South Leeds Stadium, Sunday
YORK scored ten tries in a complete walkover against bottom side Hunslet.
A first-half try double from Scott Galeano helped York to their fifteenth win in a row, as they look to be selected for Super League in 2026.
As expected, the table-topping Knights dominated the game, not allowing Kyle Trout’s side any possession or territory.
Ben Jones-Bishop opened the scoring after just five minutes, as he rolled back the years with a long-range effort. Combining with centre Kieran Buchanan, quick passing between them broke the Hunslet line before the former Leeds man ran in under the posts. Will Dagger added the opening conversion.
Connor Bailey crossed for the Knights’ second. After going close, the ball was passed along the line before Dagger found the backrower with a short ball to crash over. The try was converted and after 10 minutes, York led 0-12.
Two scores from Scott Galeano rounded off the first-half tries.
The first came after Joe Law was tackled on the line and Paul McShane produced a sublime over-the-top pass to his winger to allow for a diving finish.
Next, some intricate short passing down the blind side saw the ball go through four sets of hands, creating a small gap for the Australian to cross, despite the best efforts of Jack Rampton.
Rampton almost scored a magnificent breakaway try, as he intercepted a York pass, but veterans McShane and Jordan Thompson brought him down and the set eventually came to nothing.
Dagger missed both goals for Galeano’s tries, but added a penalty goal on the stroke of half-time to give York a 0-22 lead at the break.
The Knights started the second half as they ended the first, and managed to capitalise on a penalty given away by Hunslet. A short ball from Thompson saw Connor Fitzsimmons crash over under the posts. Dagger converted the try.
Moments later, an unexpected break from Dagger saw Oli Field in support to score. Paul McShane took over kicking duties, and converted the try, increasing the lead to 34.
With a quarter of the game to go, Thompson was once again a focal point. Taking in a carry 20 metres from the line, he managed to catch a lazy defender and break through to score. Dagger resumed kicking duties and converted.
Toa Mata’afa added York’s eighth try of the afternoon when a kick was well read by McShane, who raced 50 metres before being caught. The ball was quickly shifted across the field to Jones-Bishop, who cut inside and passed to his halfback to score. Dagger’s conversion hit the post, and with eight minutes left they led by 44.
The Knights scored two tries in the final five to round off a quality afternoon for them.
Jack Martin added his fourth try of the season with a short-range power play on the left, before Mitch Clark was in support of another Dagger break to get in on the try-scoring action. Both tries were converted as York emerged 0-56 winners.
GAMESTAR: A number of players had near-perfect matches but Jordan Thompson’s influence, both in attack and defence, was the key to such a dominant victory.
GAMEBREAKER: Paul McShane and Jordan Thompson’s effort to get back and bring Jack Rampton to a halt after an intercept in the first half epitomised the effort York showed to provide such a clinical performance.
MATCHFACTS
HUNSLET
1 Jimmy Watson
23 Jack Rampton
19 Liam Welham
20 Lloyd McEwan-Peters
21 Coby Nichol
4 Billy Jowitt
34 Mason Corbett
8 Harvey Hallas
45 Will Hutchinson
17 Keelan Foster
22 Harrison Gilmore
29 Brad Gallagher
25 Kobe Rugless
Subs (all used)
13 Jordan Syme
10 Matty Fletcher
18 Brad Clavering
31 Kevin Larroyer
KNIGHTS
1 Will Dagger
34 Ben Jones-Bishop
3 Kieran Buchanan
4 Joe Law
35 Scott Galeano
36 Toa Mata’afa
6 Ata Hingano
8 Jack Martin
9 Paul McShane
24 Harvey Reynolds
20 Oli Field
12 Connor Bailey
13 Jordan Thompson
Subs (all used)
14 Taylor Pemberton
10 Brenden Santi
21 Conor Fitzsimmons
33 Mitch Clark
Tries: Jones-Bishop (5), Bailey (9), Galeano (21, 38), Fitzsimmons (48), Field (51), Thompson (64), Mata’afa (72), Martin (76), Clark (78)
Goals: Dagger 6/9, McShane 2/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-16, 0-20, 0-22; 0-28, 0-34, 0-40, 0-44, 0-50, 0-56
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hunslet: Jimmy Watson; Knights: Jordan Thompson
Penalty count: 3-6
Half-time: 0-22
Referee: Matty Lynn
Attendance: 1,008