Big-match verdict: Champions Leeds Rhinos wrap up year on a high at Wakefield Trinity
Leeds Rhinos ended their championship year on a positive note with a 17-10 success, their first in three Boxing Day games and they also did better than hosts Wakefield Trinity in the injury count.
Half-back Richie Myler suffered a bang to the head and did not feature in the second half and Leeds were without fellow recruit Nathaniel Peteru due to a knee/hamstring injury, but otherwise came through unscathed.
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Hide AdTrinity weren’t so fortunate. They suffered a major setback after just five minutes when hooker Tyler Randell suffered damage to a knee and then prop Anthony England hobbled off in the second-half.
Wakefield were already without new signing Justin Horo, who had been due to play, but was left out due to a shoulder problem.
They had to reshuffle, but were competitive throughout in what was a typical pre-season opener.
The new campaign is more than a month away and neither team is ready.
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Hide AdAs always on Boxing Day there was lots of effort and the sides defended well, but were off the pace on attack and the game lacked intensity.
All Rhinos’ tries were scored by front-rowers – though one of them filled the extra-prop role at loose-forward.
Rhinos created more opportunities, but Carl Ablett, Mikolaj Oledzki, Brad Dwyer, Jack Ormondroyd and Brad Singleton were all held up over the line, which is credit to the hosts’ determined defence.
A bell-ringer by Wakefield winger Bill Tupou on Ashton Golding was one of the game’s most memorable moments.
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Hide AdFor Trinity, Max Jowitt got a run at full-back and looked good throughout.
There were some encouraging touches, in unfamiliar conditions, from new signing Paulie Paulie, with and without the ball and their other new face, Jordan Baldwinson, worked hard against his former club.
Just eight days after signing from Leigh Centurions, Ryan Hampshire started at scrum-half and was Trinity’s best player, particularly in the second 40.
For Rhinos, Myler looked lively before being hurt and there was a solid contribution from their other recruit, hooker Dwyer, who had two spells either side of suffering a head cut which required stitching.
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Hide AdStand-off Jordan Lilley kicked a late drop goal to cap a good all-round performance, but Leeds’ most encouraging contributions came from forwards Ormondroyd and Oledzki, who have a total of seven Betfred Super League appearances between them.
They each scored a good try, ran strongly and defended well, Oledzki producing one eye-catching hit on Paulie.
With Peteru to add into the mix, Leeds have some interesting options in the pack for next year.
Peteru’s absence led to a call-up for former Stanley Rangers player Owen Trout – an under-19s forward and brother of ex-Wakefield man Kyle Trout – among the substitutes.
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Hide AdHe was the only Rhinos player without a Super League appearance, while Trinity gave a run off the bench to young prop Lewis Wray and half-back Christian Ackroyd, plus full-back Luke Hooley, who has played in the Championship for Dewsbury Rams and Oldham.
Ackroyd, who is very highly thought of by Trinity’s coaching staff, got more game time than expected after replacing Randell, when Kyle Wood moved to hooker.
Both coaches experimented at times. For example, when Dwyer went off in the first half, Jack Walker came on at full-back and Golding switched to hooker. Liam Sutcliffe moved into the halves after Myler was replaced and landed a 40-20.
Rhinos struck first, after 15 minutes, through stand-in captain Singleton.
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Hide AdHe barged over from close-range off a pass by Myler, who converted, moments after Anthony Mullally was hauled down just short by Baldwinson and Joe Arundel.
Myler made an excellent tackle to keep Arundel out soon afterwards and Rhinos had a touchdown chalked off when Dwyer and Myler linked to send Ablett stepping over, but referee Tom Grant ruled he was held up and the Leeds man was penalised for his reaction.
Trinity pulled a try back eight minutes before the interval, after Wood landed a 40-20.
From the tap Trinity moved play to the right through Wood and Hampshire and Ben Jones-Bishop scored acrobatically from Jowitt’s excellent pass.
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