Nobody above 6 in Leeds Rhinos player ratings and from dismal Warrington Wolves drubbing

Rhinos led 4-0 early on and were one tackle away from going further in front, but never got a grip on the contest. In front of 12,297 spectators, they didn’t throw enough at Warrington and were broken down too many times near their own line.

The score blew out towards the end, with Warrington scoring three converted tries in the final 14 minutes and Leeds were clearly second best. It was a painful and potentially costly defeat to a team missing some key forwards. To be fair, Rhinos weren’t helped by the loss of two players in the first half. Prop Tom Holroyd failed a head injury assessment and Ash Handley suffered damaged ribs in a heavy tackle. Rhinos had a three-quarter on the bench - teenage centre Ned McCormack - but rather than bring him on, coach Rohan Smith moved Rhyse Martin to centre and Paul Momirovski on to the left-wing. McCormack finally got his debut 18 minutes from time.

Leeds were left frustrated by some decisions. A second half fightback was stymied when the video referee decision overturned an on-field ‘try’ call. Just before the break Matt Frawley was called for a knock-on after the ball had been pulled out by a Warrington defender; then in the next set Martin was penalised for what appeared to be a legal one-on-one ball steal which had him heading for Wire’s line. Referee Aaron Moore ruled the tackle was complete and Joe Bullock crossed in the resulting set, Stefan Ratchford’s second conversion giving Warrington a 16-4 half-time lead.

Leeds started well with a nice try after nine minutes when Harry Newman made a fine catch to put down from Frawley’s excellent cross-kick and only a sensational tackle by Matty Ashton prevented Handley scoring a length of the field try after he collected George Williams’ kick.

Matty Nicholson got Warrington level soon afterwards and Williams scored a superb solo effort to give the visitors the lead nine minutes before the break. Leeds pulled four points back at the start of the second half when Luis Roberts touched down from Brodie Croft’s grubber. Lachie Miller missed the conversion after Martin had failed to improve Newman’s opener.

Leeds were denied another soon afterwards when Momirovski touched down. Moore indicated a try, but after multiple replays video assistant Tom Grant decided there was overwhelming evidence of a double-movement. Perhaps he was watching one of the other games on a different channel.

The hosts didn’t give it up after that, but they knew it wasn’t their night and Warrington rubbed their noses in it through late tries by Danny Walker, Matt Dufty and Josh Thewlis. Ratchford finished with five goals. The penalty count was four-four (2-2 in the first half). Rhinos got their first set restart in three games – on the first tackle – and that count finished one-each.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Roberts, Newman, Momirovski, Handley, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, T Holroyd, McDonnell, Martin, Smith. Subs Lisone, N McCormack, O’Connor, Goudemand.

Warrington Wolves: Dufty, Thewlis, Wrench, Ratchford, Ashton, Williams, Hayes, Harrison, Walker, Crowther, Nicholson, Fitzgibbon, Currie. Subs Powell, Bullock, A Holroyd, Wood.

Referee: Aaron Moore (Wigan). Attendance: 12,297.