Betfred Super League
Leeds (24) 52
Tries: Oledzki 2, Newman 2, Hall, Croft, Sivo, McDonnell, Hankinson Goals: Connor 8
Huddersfield (0) 0
Leeds Rhinos returned to the top of Super League with a nine-try thrashing of hapless bottom club Huddersfield Giants.
Prop Mikolaj Oledzki opened the scoring and added a second near the end, while Harry Newman scored his first two tries since returning from a short loan spell at Hull FC as Brad Arthur’s side dominated throughout.
Giants had hoped that last week’s second-half revival, which gave St Helens a scare, might provide a platform for better things, but their losing streak now stretches to five games.
Rhinos went into the game on the back of a defeat by Wigan Warriors which had ended their run of five consecutive victories, but the two points was enough to put them top above St Helens on points difference.
Huddersfield’s revival against Saints last week, in which they scored three tries without reply before going down 26-18s, might have given new coach Jim Lenihan a glimmer of hope, but the stark reality of his team’s situation was laid out at AMT Headingley.
The Giants defence was poor and their handling dreadful at times, with Leeds’ 20-year-old full-back Fergus McCormack afforded a comfortable Super League debut in place of the suspended Lachie Miller.
Brodie Croft announced this week he will leave Rhinos at the end of the season and he showed what they will miss by sending Oledzki over for an early opening try and pulling the strings throughout.
Newman celebrated his return to the fold by finishing a slick Leeds move and consummate try poacher Ryan Hall pounced on a loose ball for another after Croft had forced Tim Gagai into fumbling Jake Connor’s high kick into the in-goal area.
Croft was everywhere, and within moments of preventing a try at one end with a tackle on Connor Carr, he was scoring his 14th Super League touchdown of the season at the other end.
This time the second half brought no response from Giants and they were quickly punished as Maika Sivo’s remarkable run continued with his 18th try in the competition this season.
Newman hit the line at speed for his second try, a series of Giants infringements built pressure from which James McDonnell crashed over, and Oledzki added his second from a deft pass by Connor, who also kicked eight out of nine conversions.
The night was rounded off by Chris Hankinson, breaking through a flimsy Giants defensive line from a sharp pass by debutant McCormack.
Leeds: F. McCormack; Hall, Newman, Handley, Sivo; Croft, Connor; Oledzki, O’Connor, Jenkins, Hankinson, McDonnell, C. Smith.
Interchanges: Palasia, Levi, Watkins, Cassell.
Huddersfield: Evalds; Kershaw, Jagger, Gagai, Carr; Lolohea, Russell; Powell, Hewitt, Rushton, Rogers, Woolford, Patolo
Interchanges: English, Greenwood, Cozza, Geyer
Referee: Jack Smith