Brodie Croft, Chris Kendall & the Loch Ness Monster: Leeds Rhinos talking points after win v Leigh Leopards

Rhinos are in good shape following their tough 22-14 win at Leigh Leopards and a first appearance in the Betfred Super League play-offs since the 2022 Grand Final is now within reach. Here’s five talking points.

1: Un-nessie-sary controversy. According to the official Loch Ness Monster sightings register, the mythical beastie has been spotted 1,162 times since 565 AD. That’s a lot more evidence of Nessie being real than for Brodie Croft’s early touchdown against Leigh being disallowed.

In both Leeds’ victories against the Leopards this season they’ve had what looked like a legitimate score ruled out by video official Chris Kendall. The referee and both sets of players thought Croft had scored, but Rhinos’ hearts must have sunk when the incident was replayed over and over. Sure enough, eagle-eyed Kendall spotted clear evidence of the Leeds man knocking on.

Logically, if it takes more than a couple of looks at every available angle, there must be some doubt so it was hard to argue with Rhinos boss Brad Arthur when he said, after the game, “it was a try”. Leigh felt equally aggrieved after having a later on-field call of try overturned in the second half. Two wrongs don’t make a right, but they do add up to a frustrating experience for everyone watching.

2: Keep quiet and carry on? On a related subject, the captain’s challenge, introduced to Super League this year, is a work in progress and the game at Leigh highlighted a glaring problem. When Rhinos’ Harry Newman was tackled high by Tesi Niu midway through the second half, Smith and his near-side touch judge missed the incident and that was exactly the sort of situation the law was brought in to deal with.

Counterintuitively, because the on-field officials didn’t spot it, play continued and that meant Rhinos wouldn’t have been able to challenge, if Newman hadn’t immediately been penalised for dissent. The stoppage enabled Leeds’ captain, Ash Handley, to ask for the tackle on Newman to be checked and instead of conceding a penalty, they received one. That’s something every coach in Super League will have taken note of and it could get messy if the law isn’t amended to allow for challenges to be made at the next break in play.

3: Miller time. Scrum-half Jake Connor has been Rhinos’most influential player this season, but he is being given a run for his money by full-back Lachie Miller. Connor’s 40-20 kick turned the tide when Leigh led 8-0, but it took some individual brilliance by Miller to get Leeds on the scoreboard, with a Rob Burrow-like score. He was later involved - along with Newman and James Bentley - in a sensational tackle to hold up Tesi Niu over Rhinos’ line and his final pass sent Croft in for the clinching try.

A year ago, Miller looked like a rugby union sevens athlete thrown in at the Super League deep end. Under Arthur’s coaching he has developed into a very good rugby league player and, at 31 next week, he has time to get better. He will be staying at Rhinos beyond 2026, when his existing deal ends and that’s excellent news for the club. Other contracts for 2027 and beyond are in the works, but the club are in no hurry to make announcements.

4: Something lacking. Rhinos’ defence on their own line has been heroic at times this season, not least in their past two games. Nobody could accuse this Leeds team of being without heart or desire and when the ball sticks, they are capable of playing some outstanding attacking rugby. In Miller and Connor, they have two individuals who can produce something out of nothing, but there’s one aspect of their game still letting them down. Once they eradicate unforced errors coming away from their own line, they will look like genuine title contenders.

5: Play-off bound. Leeds’ time in fourth place was short-lived, but overall it has been a positive round for their top-six ambitions. There’s one point between Leigh, St Helens and Rhinos in third-fifth spot and anything could happen in the fight for a home tie, but Saints’ win at Wakefield Trinity left Leeds with a foot in the play-offs.

Points difference could be a factor, but assuming Hull FC beat the visiting Super League Reserves Select side on Sunday, both they and Trinity will have to win three more of their remaining six games than Rhinos to knock Leeds out of the six. It’s firmly in Leeds’ hands, whatever their rivals do.