Tui proves too hot to handle for Hull
FOR a team that pride themselves on being greater than the sum of their parts, Salford demonstrated that it’s still possible for individual moments of brilliance to come to the fore as part of a quality collective effort.
Tui Lolohea put in a stunning man-of-thematch performance, scoring 20 of his side’s 54 points and providing four try assists on his return to Headingley, aided by an excellent platform built by the Red Devils’ forward pack and superb support from halfback partner Chris Atkin.
The Tongan international made just seven appearances at the ground during his ill-fated spell with the Rhinos, but demonstrated every one of the skills that made him one of the sport’s most highly-rated young prospects when he emerged at the New Zealand Warriors.
“Playing at Leeds will have played a part for Tui, because it’s a place he wants to do well at,” explained Salford boss Ian Watson.
“He knows what happened before when he played here and he’s aware of that. But that’s history, it’s been and gone.
“Tui can only impact his future by performing the way he’s done today. And the way he does that is by our middles setting a platform and really buying into what the team are doing.
“If we give him a platform to perform on, Tui can do that to any team.”
Lolohea’s booming 20m pass sent Ken Sio over for the first Salford try, levelling the scores after Jamie Shaul had capitalised on a Dan Sarginson error to give Hull an early lead, before Lolohea demonstrated his footwork and power to charge over the line and give the Red Devils the lead.
He added his second chasing up a Sio kick back inside soon after and the advantage was extended when Rhys Williams stretched out to score in the corner – a score expertly converted from the touchline by the man of the moment Lolohea. Hull crashed over through Manu Ma’u just before half-time, but Salford emerged strongly in the second period, Chris
Atkin racing the length of the field to score an intercept try.
The black and whites went over again through Shaul just before the hour mark, but Luke Yates reacted quickest to a Lolohea high bomb to cross for the try his performance richly deserved, before Williams added an excellent second, touching down a superb short kick at the line from Atkin.
When Ratu Naulago was sent to the sin bin for a Hull side whose discipline was crumbling, the Red Devils demonstrated an air of ruthlessness to continue to pile on the points.
Kris Welham scooped up a Lolohea grubber to score in the corner, Sio took another long pass from the halfback to grab his second try and the half century was chalked up when Niall Evalds went in under the posts in the final seconds.
Salford: Evalds, Sio, Welham, Sarginson, Williams, Lolohea, Atkin, Mossop, Lussick, Ikahihifo, Lannon, McCarthy, Yates. Interchanges: Pauli, Johnson, Flanagan, Kear.
Hull FC: Shaul, Naulago, Tuimavave, Griffin, Fonua, Kelly, Sneyd, Ellis, Houghton, Sao, Jones, Ma’u, Savelio. Interchanges: Connor, Satae, Cator, Bowden.