Leeds Rhinos eventually ease past dogged Huddersfield Giants

LEEDS RHINOS 28 HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 6
PHIL CAPLAN, AMT Headingley, Friday

IN DRIZZLING rain and in danger of being the afterthought following the derby clashes between the top four sides, Leeds made it back-to-back victories with a workmanlike performance to down dogged Huddersfield.

Defensively strong again, the Rhinos stuttered to get going in the first half but eased clear with three tries in twelve minutes in the second half to break the Giants’ resolve.

Comparatively, Leeds had the luxury of Kallum Watkins making his second debut – 17 years to the day after his first – from among the substitutes on 35 minutes, while Huddersfield fielded another two young debutants off the bench during their ongoing injury nightmare.

Morgan Gannon was in the Rhinos’ starting line-up following reports that he had turned down a new deal to move to the NRL with New Zealand Warriors.

Up front, Oliver Wilson was back for the Giants following his suspension while Mikolaj Oledzki was missing for Leeds, serving a ban.

George Flanagan charged down the opening kick and twice chipped to the corner, gaining a penalty from the first only for the home line to hold.

At the other end, Cooper Jenkins slipped when put through by Jake Connor and Matt Frawley was held up.

Twice the Giants gave away possession cheaply in their own half, with Gannon held up and Connor forcing a drop-out. Liam Sutcliffe was put into touch from it but on the last, Lachlan Miller’s scoring pass to Keenan Palasia was ruled forward.

Leeds had another try chalked off – this time for obstruction – when, after Connor Carr knocked-on from a Ryan Hall chip inside, Frawley cross-kicked and the ball was batted to Hall who sent in Tom Holroyd.

The luckless visitors saw Sutcliffe lose possession and be taken off with a groin injury, then had their own try ruled out when Riley Lumb fumbled a Flanagan kick. Jake Bibby grubbered inside but Sam Hallsall knocked-on in the act of scoring.

Leeds kept on kicking long, giving away seven-tackle sets, but the Giants squandered possession time and again.

At least Huddersfield were commendably holding their line – until James Bentley’s offload freed Harry Newman, who had Miller supporting up the middle to finally open the scoring.

Like they had at Salford a week before, the Rhinos scored early in the second half, Bentley sending in Watkins, playing at prop, to a huge cheer.

Huddersfield enjoyed a spell in the home quarter without threatening after which Miller countered and, on the last, Ash Handley picked off Connor’s high kick.

Taane Milne, the Giants’ best player in an unfamiliar loose-forward position, dislodged the ball from Connor but Leeds countered through Connor, James McDonnell, Bentley and McDonnell again with a lovely flick pass to Connor for a fine try.

Then, keeping the ball alive, Newman and Miller were again at the heart of the Leeds attack, as Connor, Bentley and Newman exchanged to send Hall over in the corner.

To their credit, the Giants worked hard for consolation try as they forced a knock-on, penalty, goal-line drop-out and bundled Lumb into touch before hard-working Burgess gained their reward with an angled run for his first claret-and-gold try.

GAMESTAR: Lachlan Miller provided the spark and attacking threat from the back which ensured Leeds turned their territorial dominance into points.

GAMEBREAKER: Leeds’s first try of the second half gave them a two-score lead, after which they began to express themselves in attack.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Kallum Watkins crowning his return to the blue and amber with a try in the 45th minute, causing much rejoicing in the South Stand.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Lachlan Miller (Leeds)
2 pts Harry Newman (Leeds)
1 pt Cooper Jenkins (Leeds)

MATCHFACTS
RHINOS
1 Lachlan Miller
5 Ryan Hall
3 Harry Newman
4 Ash Handley
23 Riley Lumb
18 Jake Connor
7 Matt Frawley
17 Cooper Jenkins
14 Jarrod O’Connor
19 Tom Holroyd
12 James McDonnell
16 Morgan Gannon
10 Keenan Palasia
Subs (all used)
15 Sam Lisone
11 James Bentley
28 Kallum Watkins (D2)
20 Jack Sinfield
18th man (not used)
21 Alfie Edgell
Also in 21-man squad
22 Tom Nicholson-Watton
– Jack Smith
– Presley Cassell

Tries: Miller (31), Watkins (45), Handley (53), Connor (61), Hall (65)
Goals: Miller 4/5

GIANTS
24 Aidan McGowan
5 Sam Halsall
3 Jake Bibby
4 Liam Sutcliffe
28 Connor Carr
1 Jacob Gagai
29 George Flanagan
8 Oliver Wilson
14 Ashton Golding
10 Tom Burgess
17 Joe Greenwood
12 Sam Hewitt
23 Taane Milne
Subs (all used)
30 Jack Bibby
25 Jack Billington
33 Archie Sykes (D)
32 Jacob Algar (D)
18th man (not used)
21 Leroy Cudjoe
Also in 21-man squad
20 Elliot Wallis
– Leo Ward
– Max Merta