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22 February 2025, 17:09 GMT
Betfred Super League
Salford (6) 6
Tries: Watkins Goals: Sneyd
Leeds (14) 32
Tries: Lumb 2, Gannon, Handley, Bentley, Hall Goals: Connor 4
Leeds Rhinos bounced back from a disappointing opening day defeat with a convincing Super League victory against Salford Red Devils at the Salford Community Stadium.
Two first-half tries from winger Riley Lumb and one each from Morgan Gannon, Ash Handley, James Bentley and Ryan Hall earned the Rhinos a deserved win in Greater Manchester.
A second-minute try from Kallum Watkins had given Salford an early lead.
Leeds’ victory was marred somewhat by a head injury suffered by Brodie Croft, who had to be stretchered off the field following a lengthy delay.
In a frantic opening to the match, Marc Sneyd’s excellent kick from his own half earned the hosts a 40-20, and from it, Salford captain Watkins barged over the line to score before Leeds had ball in hand.
The visitors settled into the match, however, and a measured kick from Jake Connor almost found Lumb before Salford full-back Ryan Brierley batted the ball out for a goal-line drop out.
Sneyd’s short goal-line kick was retrieved by the Rhinos and after receiving another set of six, Connor’s tidy grubber-kick found Lumb to dive over and score in the corner.
Leeds took the lead when first-half replacement Gannon reacted first after receiving a kind ricochet from another kick from Connor to powerfully reach over the line under pressure from four Salford defenders.
Nine minutes later, Leeds created an overload on the left hand side and quick hands from Handley allowed Lumb to have the simplest of tasks to score his second of the match.
Just before half-time, ex-Red Devil Croft suffered his injury after clashing heads with Jack Ormondroyd in the midst of a tackle from Joe Shorrocks, who was sent to the sin-bin in the aftermath.
After a delay of almost 10 minutes, Croft was stretchered from the field however the club later said he was walking around following treatment and he eventually watched some of the second half from the stands.
Super League history was made in the second-half, when the Super League’s first-ever successful captain’s challenge was given by video referee Liam Rush after it was judged Salford’s Jayden Nikorima had ripped the ball out of the grasp of Handley following an on-field knock-on call.
Moments later, great footwork from Handley then allowed him to gather and score next to the sticks as Rhinos extended their lead to 16 points and take the game out of sight.
Salford, who fielded an entirely different 13 from the team that started last Saturday’s 82-0 humiliation by St Helens last weekend, began to take risks in possession and a midfield pass from Shorrocks was intercepted by Bentley who ran clear to score Leeds’ fifth try.
With the clock running down, veteran winger Ryan Hall scored his first Super League try for Leeds since returning to the club to put gloss on the Rhinos’ victory.
The result ended a tumultuous seven days for the Red Devils who are under investigation for their squad selection in their heavy defeat by St Helens while the sustainability cap – which led to them having to field a side made up mostly of reserve players last week – was lifted three days later.
Salford: Brierley; MacDonald, Marsters, Lafai, Cross; Nikorima, Sneyd; Singleton, Atkin, Hill, Wright, Watkins, Shorrocks.
Interchanges: Hankinson, Sangare, Foster, Ormondroyd.
Sin-bin: Shorrocks.
Leeds: Connor; Lumb, Handley, Newman, Hall; Croft, Frawley; Palasia, Ackers, Jenkins, Bentley, McDonnell, Smith.
Interchanges: O’Connor, Lisone, Holroyd, Gannon.
Referee: Liam Moore.
