Rhinos smash Giants on not-so-good Friday
HUDDERSFIELD Giants suffered a heavy 38-18 defeat against Leeds Rhinos, who claimed only their third win of the season to climb off the foot of the Betfred Super League table.
Dave Furner’s men have struggled badly for much of the 2019 campaign but this success lifted them above London Broncos on points difference.
Leeds were 30-0 up and in total control at half-time after tries from Tui Lolohea, James Donaldson, Brad Dwyer, Richie Myler and Tom Briscoe.
It was just reward for the Rhinos’ dominance during an opening 40 minutes which saw star centre Konrad Hurrell forced off with a hamstring injury.
Huddersfield improved markedly after the break and hit back with three tries to cut Leeds’ lead to 14 points but the hosts ensured victory when Ash Handley went over late on.
The Rhinos went into the match boosted by last week’s thumping 78-6 home win over League One part-timers Workington Town in the fifth round of the Challenge Cup.
Leeds led inside the fifth minute when Dwyer burst clear from the halfway line, down the left channel, and showed intelligence to send the supporting Lolohea racing clear from 30 metres out.
Five minutes later, the hosts struck again when the lively Dwyer’s lasttackle grubber kick was grounded by
McIntosh, McGillvary, Turner, Uate, Frawley, Leeming, Matagi, Murphy, Ta’ai, Jake Wardle, Russell, Hewitt, Joe Wardle.
Briscoe, Watkins, Hurrell, Handley, Lolohea, Myler, Dwyer, Sutcliffe, Ferres, Peteru, Donaldson, Newman, Albert. Donaldson. Liam Sutcliffe kicked his second goal and Huddersfield then kicked out on the full from the restart, giving Leeds a penalty and increasing the pressure on the visitors.
Sutcliffe added a penalty but Dwyer continued to take centre stage and, in the 15th minute, he got on the scoresheet himself when he caught and grounded Myler’s clever kick. The Rhinos lost Hurrell to injury soon after and Briscoe was also sinbinned for a foul on Darnell McIntosh. With 32 minutes gone, Dywer then returned the compliment by producing a smart kick which Myler touched down before Briscoe got in on the act, touching down in the right corner after a fine break from Myler on the opposite flank.
Sutcliffe’s conversion attempt hit the post, ending his run of 16 consecutive successful conversions, but Leeds’ 30-0 interval lead was commanding enough.
Yet Huddersfield came back strongly after the break and winger Akuila Uate touched down in the left corner before hooker Adam O’Brien showed impressive strength to dart over the line for a second.
When McIntosh went over for a third in the 63rd minute and Oliver Russell booted his third conversion – shortly after Lolohea had kicked a penalty for Leeds – Huddersfield were back in the game at 32-18.
But even though Leeds then had prop Nathaniel Peteru sinbinned for a late challenge, they made sure of victory when Handley powered clear from distance with nine minutes remaining and Sutcliffe added his sixth goal.