Leeds Rhinos 24-6 Wakefield Trinity: Highlights, player ratings and talking points

New Leeds boss Rohan Smith has his first win. In the squelching rain, his Rhinos managed the conditions in a vital West Yorkshire derby to get back to winning ways and help their survival bid.

As for Wakefield, it’s a seventh loss in a row and a worrying time for Willie Poching.

Highlights:

Bentley brace
James Bentley scored a pair of almost identical tries to get Leeds going. Both were helped along by some superb half breaks around the ruck from the likes of Kruise Leeming, David Fusitu’a, Zak Hardaker and Rhyse Martin. Both times Bentley hit strong lines off short balls to break through a stretched Wakefield defence as Cameron Smith tied up defenders and shifted the ball into space. The second was particularly impressive as Bentley rode a powerful challenge to get the ball down showing great physicality and urgency in doing so.

James Bentley’s season summed up in 40 minutes
There are those who would have you believe that James Bentley’s Leeds career has been underwhelming from day one and his red card against Warrington but in truth that is a gross oversimplification. The former Super League Champion has produced some great performances which have been hardworking and brutal in the right way. It was his great physical attributes and general knowledge of the game that got him those two tries today and it would be silly to suggest those have been totally absent since his Headingley switch. However, every good performance in blue and amber has been undercut by a card or two as well as ensuing bans and today his two tries were followed by a yellow card which let Wakefield back in the game. It was a harsh one as he hit Thomas Minns who caught a towering bomb from Blake Austin. Perhaps Bentley’s reputation proceeded him on this occasion. Nonetheless, it opened the door for Wakefield to battle back.

Whitbread pulls one back
12-0 down but a man up heading towards halftime, Wakefield needed a try to get them back in the game especially after a number of powerful sets which rolled the Rhinos down field. Fortunately, for Trinity their try came thanks to Jai Whitbread who powered over from close range.

A feisty derby
After the Bentley yellow, the game had a certain edge. It wasn’t near the stage where it could explode but it edged closer and closer as the second half wore on and reach a hot temperature when Blake Austin was penalised for a dangerous throw with both teams nearly coming to blows. Two teams low on confidence going into the game, they showed that the local bragging rights were still important to them as the game got more and more aggressive as a good derby should.

Austin grabs the decider
After orchestrating Bentley’s second try with a neat short ball for the second-row to crash onto, it was Blake Austin himself hitting a forward’s line close to the tryline to crash over for the decisive try after Leeds had been slowly turning up the pressure gauge on their Yorkshire rivals.

Talking Points:

Rhinos attack conundrum
Perhaps the main problem for Leeds in 2022, who have had no issue making metres this year and gaining territory, has been their inability to score points and again the Rhinos seemed to struggle in that department tonight. Despite notching four tries, it could have and perhaps should have been more based on the weight of possession. What stuck out especially in the first half was the lack of times two great wingers in Ash Handley and David Fusitu’a had opportunities near the Wakefield line. Between the two of them in the first 40, they had one chance which went the way of Handley who was denied by some great defence from Mason Lino and co. With those two exciting players and the likes of Zak Hardaker and others in the Leeds backline, they need to fashion more chances out wide. Credit Wakefield, they did make it difficult jamming in on Richie Myler and Blake Austin to limit ball movement but it cannot be ignored that the Leeds attack is struggling and its something Rohan Smith will want to amend especially as David Fusitu’a went on to show what he can do in small spaces when chances come right at the end with a great spacially aware finish to score in the corner.

Welcome back Zak
Given the controversial end to his first Leeds stint, Rhinos fans could have been forgiven for not being that welcoming to Zak Hardaker on his second home debut for the club over 11 years after the first. However, the Southstand immediately showered him with cheers as well as his old chant and he went on to repay them with an impressive performance at fullback switching from centre where he played against Salford. Every time he got the ball he looked dangerous making half breaks galore. He, Handley and Fusitu’a in Leeds’ back three combined well to start sets effectively with exciting passages of play which routinely threatened to carve Trinity up. Hardaker’s performance was later rewarded with the Man of the Match.

Wakefield’s downward spiral continues
They often refer to seventh heaven, well after their seventh consecutive defeat tonight Trinity are in seventh hell. To be fair, both sides struggled in the wet and looked like they needed an injection of confidence after bad results last week but, except for when they had a man advantage, Wakefield struggled to really get a grip of the game and the ball for that matter. Coach Willie Poching made some bold choices like rejigging his spine to include Lee Gaskell at fullback whilst naming Thomas Minns on the wing but it failed to change things. They need a result and fast otherwise relegation could become a serious threat given the recent upturn in form from Toulouse and their recruitment.

Leeds’ defensive improvement
In their last three home games, Leeds have only conceded 20 points – a fair cry from earlier in the season. Granted Leeds’ attack is still struggling but where they can keep opponents to the odd try, they can still grab results on the back of defence. It’s something Rohan Smith will want to maintain.

Player Ratings:

Leeds Rhinos
33 Zak Hardaker – 8
2 David Fusitu’a – 7
12 Rhyse Martin – 7
4 Liam Sutcliffe – 7
5 Ash Handley – 8
6 Blake Austin – 8
16 Richie Myler – 6
8 Mikolaj Oledzki – 7
9 Kruise Leeming – 7
13 Zane Tetevano – 6
11 James Bentley – 8
25 James Donaldson – 6
17 Cameron Smith – 7
Substitutes
14 Brad Dwyer – 6
19 Bodene Thompson – 6
21 Morgan Gannon – 7
24 Jarrod O’Connor – 6

Wakefield Trinity
17 Lee Gaskell – 5
5 Tom Lineham – 5
4 Reece Lyne – 6
30 Corey Hall – 6
31 Thomas Minns – 5
6 Jacob Miller – 5
7 Mason Lino – 5
12 Kelepi Tanginoa – 6
9 Liam Hood – 5
15 Jai Whitbread – 6
11 Matty Ashurst – 6
13 Jay Pitts – 6
16 James Batchelor – 6
Substitutes
14 Jordy Crowther – 6
19 Liam Kay – 6
34 Rob Butler – 6
35 David Fifita – 6