2 get 8/10 but star receives 5 in Peter Smith's Leeds Rhinos player ratings from 42-6 win v Salford Red Devils

Leeds led only 10-6 at the break, but scored five tries in a dominant second half performance as they improved while Salford tired and the visitors’ discipline fell apart. It’s hard to quibble after such a convincing scoreline, but Rhinos will need to be much better in the tougher games to come.

The positives were: they scored some excellent tries, Edgell’s hat-trick proved he is a quality finisher and settling into the left-wing role and 18-year-old Presley Cassell got some game time off the bench. However, in the first half there were signs Leeds might get embarrassed.

Kallum Watkins got over the line in the opening moments, but video referee Marcus Griffiths agreed with the on-field call of ‘no try’, Harry Newman having knocked-on from Jake Connor’s kick. Another chance went begging when Brodie Croft’s grubber kick bounced away from Ryan Hall and Leeds made some early errors which prevented them applying sustained pressure.

Rhinos eventually got on the board at the end of the opening quarter. It was a good try, Edgell crossing from a terrific offload by Ash Handley after Croft, Connor and Lachie Miller had handled. Then in the set from the restart, Edgell scored again and this was even better. Hall’s powerful run began it on the right-flank, Newman, James McDonnell and Jarrod O’Connor kept the ball moving and then Connor’s long pass was finished with a dive by the at the corner, Connor also converting.

Leeds should have kicked on, but Salford were the better side for the rest of the half and a contentious decision by video official Griffiths helped them get back in the game following some nice skill from Ryan Brierley. He chipped ahead and touched the ball down, seemingly on the dead ball line; referee Rush said ‘no try’, Griffiths watched innumerable replays and, with both teams ready for Leeds’ tap restart, awarded the score. Apparently, a frame showed the tip of the ball touching the ground before the line, but if there was clear evidence to overturn the on-field call, why did it take so long and that many replays – including of angles which showed the ball on the whitewash?

Anyway, Salford could have gone in ahead. Connor’s last-ditch tackle barged Ethan Ryan into touch just short and Sam Lisone held up Joe Shorrocks over the line. In the final seconds, Declan Murphy raced over from inside Salford’s half. It was a quality finish, but Rush sent it up as ‘no try’ and the coin came down tails this time, with Leeds receiving a penalty for obstruction.

Rhinos gave themselves some breathing space six minutes after the break when Connor dropped the ball off to Miller who found himself in space and made full use of it. Connor’s second conversion made it 16-6 and he booted a penalty in the next set.

On 53 minutes Croft was tackled off the ball in front of the posts and Matty Foster was sin-binned as a result. Against 12 men, Leeds turned down the two and Edgell completed his hat-trick off Connor’s pass.

It was a costly yellow card. While Foster was off, Newman scored at the end of a move he, Handley and James Bentley were involved in; then McDonnell raced in from Croft’s pass. Connor landed a late 40-20 from which Cooper Jenkins touched down for his first Rhinos try and the scrum-half landed his seventh goal from eight attempts.

Cassell got on in the final quarter. A strong run with his first touch earned a penalty for a high tackle, leading to McDonnell’s try. The crowd was 11,843 and the penalties went seven-two in the hosts’ favour (three-one in the first half). Rhinos received four of the six set restarts.

Rhinos’ reserves ran in 12 tries to beat Salford 68-12 in the curtain-raiser. Oscar Brown and Dylan Proud both scored a hat-trick and Zak Lloyd touched down twice as well as landing eight goals from as many attempts. Other try scorers were Harry Smith (2), Joe Diskin and Lore Jones-Buchanan. George Brown and Riley Lumb added a conversion each.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Hall, Newman, Handley, Edgell, Croft, Connor, Jenkins, O’Connor, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell, Watkins. Subs Smith, Lisone, Ackers, Cassell.

Salford Red Devils: Murphy, Connell, Hankinson, D Russell, Ryan, Brierley, O Russell, Ormondroyd, Mellor, C Hill, Whitehead, Foster, Shorrocks. Subs Wilson Glover, Chan, Morgan.

Referee: Liam Rush (Dewsbury/Batley). Attendance: 11,843.