New fans' favourite scores 9 in Peter Smith's Leeds Rhinos player ratings from 46-14 win v York Knights

The Fijian international made his Leeds debut - more than a year after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in pre-season - and bagged two tries in a storming performance as York Knights were beaten 46-14 at AMT Headingley.

York battled hard and had some good moments, but it was a routine win for Leeds, who - led by Lachie Miller and Brodie Croft - scored eight tries to three. Though Rhinos opened the scoring, there was nothing between the teams until the hosts put the hammer down in a powerful spell before the break to take control of the contest.

They went ahead after 11 minutes through James McDonnell, who scooped up Jake Connor’s pass off the ground. York levelled with 18 minutes gone when Paul Vaughan went over from first receiver, exploiting some indifferent Leeds defence on their own line, with Tom Holroyd among the men who failed to keep him out. That came moments after Ben Jones-Bishop, one of six former Leeds players in York’s 17, almost powered over following a mistake by Kallum Watkins, but Holroyd did well to get across and prevent the try.

Sivo’s tackle forced a drop out from a kick by Chris Hankinson and in the resulting set he showed the sort of finishing power that made him a try-scoring sensation in the NRL, shrugging off Jones-Bishop’s attempt to stop him. That sparked a spell of 16 points in seven minutes.

From the restart after Sivo’s score, Leeds ran in a belter. Croft shimmied into space with support on either side. He gave the ball to Miller who in turn fed Danny Levi. A stumble prevented the hooker going for the line himself, but he did really well to get a pass away to Ryan Hall who crossed at the corner.

Levi made his first start, with Jarrod O’Connor switching to the bench and coming on at loose-forward. Levi, Croft and Miller, along with Connor, also handled in the build up to Leeds’ fourth touchdown. Miller switched the direction of play and handed on to Kallum Watkins who got out a terrific offload to send Hankinson over.

Leeds had a touchdown ruled out five minutes after the break. Referee James Vella awarded the score, to Watkins from Miller’s pass, but under the new system brought in this year, it was reviewed, video official Jack Smith spotted an obstruction and it was ruled out. That kept York in it, but they provided a helping hand for Leeds’ fifth try, on 50 minutes.

Hall, having a strong game, read the situation well, getting in place to intercept a pass from Nikau Williams and run over unopposed for his 349th career touchdown. Veteran Jordan Thompson, another ex-Leeds man, pulled a try back for Knights, off a break by Liam Harris, but Croft stepped off both feet to score a terrific solo touchdown and then put in a kick which Newman grounded.

Connor’s high kick was spilled by Knights’ full-back, went from Hankinson to Miller and Sivo stormed over for his second, Connor adding his seventh goal. York didn’t give in and scored on the final play through Scott Galeano, after Leeds missed a chance trying to give Sivo his hat-trick.

The penalty count finished six-four in Leeds’ favour, including all three before the break. They had two six-agains to York’s one, in front of a 15,232 crowd.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Sivo, Newman, Hankinson, Hall, Croft, Connor, Jenkins, Levi, Holroyd, Watkins, McDonnell, Smith. Subs O’Neill, Mata’utia, Palasia, O’Connor.

York Knights: Mata’afa, Galeano, Buchanan, Wood, Jones-Bishop, Williams, Harris, Vaughan, McShane, Va’a, Field, Griffin, Thompson. Subs Martin, Sangare, Balmforth, Vuniyayawa.

Referee: James Vella (Sydney). Attendance: 15,232.