Salford 12-38 Leeds: Player ratings and major talking points

Despite the problems they faced going into the game, Leeds came away from Salford with an impressive 38-12 win. Leeds fielded four players who had played international rugby less than 48 hours earlier and yet showed the attacking prowess needed to claim the win.

Major Talking Points:

1. Leeds star back up

Not only did Matt Prior, Kruise Leeming, Mikolaj Oledzki and Luke Gale all play, they all had a crucial part to play in the win. Prior and Oledzki were typically brilliant down the middle with the former even getting an assist. Leeming gave Leeds zip at stand-off creating a number of attacks and going over for a try and the same could be said of Gale who scored Leeds’ final try of the game.

2. Ill-discipline costs Salford

For the second week in a row Salford had a man sent off. Yes, this time an opposition player joined him as both Lee Mossop and Bodene Thompson found themselves taking early showers following an altercation which saw Mossop knock Konrad Hurrell out cold. It was the last thing Salford needed as Leeds spent the afternoon exploiting the space in Salford’s defence which got worse when the Red Devils went down to 11 men twice.

3. Is Myler Leeds’ most important player

Last season Richie Myler made the switch to fullback and guided Leeds to Challenge Cup glory with a Lance Todd winning display against Salford at Wembley. This year he’s only played four games at fullback for the Rhinos and interestingly Leeds have won three of them scoring 126 point in those victories. He makes Leeds’ attack tick especially down the left where he, Tom Briscoe and Jack Broadbent continued to torment Salford today scoring five tries between them.

Salford
6 Tui Lolohea – 7
1 Morgan Escare – 7
5 Joe Burgess – 6
24 Matty Costello – 6
22 Rhys Williams – 6
29 Dec Patton – 6
18 Chris Atkin – 7
8 Lee Mossop – 5
9 Andy Ackers – 6
26 Jack Wells – 6
20 Harvey Livett – 6
15 Oliver Roberts – 6
13 Elijah Taylor – 6
Substitutes
11 Ryan Lannon – 6
17 Josh Johnson – 6
25 Jack Ormondroyd – 6
27 Sam Luckley – 6

Leeds
16 Richie Myler – 9
24 Luke Briscoe – 7
4 Konrad Hurrell – 6
2 Tom Briscoe – 8
27 Jack Broadbent – 8
9 Kruise Leeming – 8
7 Luke Gale – 7
8 Mikolaj Oledzki – 8
14 Brad Dwyer – 8
10 Matt Prior – 7
11 Alex Mellor – 8
12 Rhyse Martin – 6
20 Bodene Thompson – 5
Substitutes
18 Tom Holroyd – 8
19 King Vuniyayawa – 7
25 James Donaldson – 7
31 Morgan Gannon – 6