Leeds Rhinos 20 Wakefield Trinity 38 report: lessons learned from opening pre-season clash

The performance of both teams reflected where they are at this stage of preparations, more than seven weeks out from the start of Betfred Super League.

Trinity, with Mark Applegarth at the helm for the first time, fielded a stronger side, with 12 of their starting 13 being experienced Super League players.

Having led 8-0, they Leeds back into the game, but came back strongly after going 20-14 behind in the third quarter.

They finished much the stronger and were full value for the win, though the margin didn’t reflect the contest. It was a positive start for Applegarth and a win at Headingley - even against a largely second-string Leeds side - will be a boost for confidence, off the field as much as on it, ahead of a season when Trinity are tipped to struggle.

An injury to Kruise Leeming, who limped off in the final minutes, was a worry for Leeds, but their coach Rohan Smith probably got what he wanted from a hard-fought 80 minutes, in front of a 9,143 holiday crowd.

The rookie in Wakefield’s starting side, centre Oliver Pratt, was on the receiving end of a foul by James Donaldson which led to the Leeds forward being sin-binned, after just 10 minutes, for the second successive Boxing Day.

Donaldson was banned for two games for his 2021 indiscretion, which was the start of season-long disciplinary problems for Rhinos. Clearly that’s something they need to be better at in 2023.

Leeds had good pre-season results last year before a poor start when the real business began, so the result wasn’t a priority.

Smith used the occasion to have a look at young rookies and new signings, as well as get some minutes into a few of his experienced players and experiment with some positional changes.

Leeds also responded strongly after conceding the first couple of tries and they moved the ball about nicely, though they were caught out defensively several times.

Errors, including a pair of forward passes when they were six points in front, were costly, but positives including some good signs from the newcomers and a strong effort at stand-off by Morgan Gannon.

Rhinos were a man down when Jay Pitts went over for the opening try at the end of the first quarter.

Smith made five changes before play restarted, among them being Mackenzie Turner’s introduction at full-back.

Along with prop Tom Nicholson-Watton, who came on at the same time, Turner was one of two players drafted in from outside Rhinos’ full-time squad.

An outside-back, he had a spell on loan at Hunslet last season and stood his ground to make a fine one-on-one tackle to keep Max Jowitt out moments after his introduction.

Reece Lyne powered over to double Trinity’s lead, but James McDonnell pulled a try back, the new signing following up to touch down from Richie Myler’s kick. Ash Handley converted.

Liam Tindall crossed in fine style to give Leeds the lead a couple of minutes before the break, Mackenzie missing the goal attempt, but Eddie Battye’s try on the final play of the half, deep into stoppage time, converted by Jowitt, sent Trinity in 14-10 ahead.

Battye went well for Wakefieldm, showing some nice touches with ball in hand as well as his raw power.

Leeming, one of the players taken off after 20 minutes, returned at the start of the second half and made a big impact, first with a 40-20 kick and then the final p[ass to send Gannon over; then crossing off a nice offload from Leon Ruan for a try which Turner improved.

Ruan began his career in Trinity’s academy before spending last season at Doncaster. He signed after a spell training with Rhinos and looked the part in his first appearance, combining with Richie Myler to prevent Pitts getting the ball down over Leeds’ line.

Renouf Atoni - one of two players making their Trinity debut, along with Morgan Smith - powered through the Rhinos defence with 20 minutes left.

Robbie Butterworth’s goal levelled the scores at 20-20 and Wakefield went in front for the third time soon afterwards when Lee Gaskell picked out Lee Kershaw with a kick to the corner.

Wakefield sealed the win when Jordan Crowther crashed in from close range after a tap penalty in front of the posts.

That was for a drop out failing to go 10 metres and was one of only four awarded, three of them to the visitors.

Kershaw scored his second try from Butterworth’s pass, Gaskell converting and in the final seconds Lewis Murphy made a terrific catch to score from Gaskell’s pass.

Leeds Rhinos: Handley, Simpson, Edwards, Olpherts, Tindall, Gannon, Myler, Holroyd, Leeming, Walters, Gibbons, McDonnell, Donaldson. Subs Sangare, Nicholson-Watton, O’Connor, Turner, Edgell, Ruan, Field, J Smith.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Kershaw, Lyne, Pratt, Murphy, Gaskell, Lino, Bowden, M Smith, Whitbread, Pitts, Ashurst, Crowther. Subs Bowes, Atoni, Battye, Eseh, Butler, Windroiw, Law, Butterworth.

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).

Attendance: 9,143