4-try Alfie Edgell scores 9/10 in Peter Smith's player ratings after Leeds Rhinos thrash Hull FC 68-6

The boost to Leeds’ points difference lifted them into the top-six – for at least a day – and gave fans something to cheer at the end of another disappointing season at AMT Headingley. Hull, who beat Rhinos on their own turf earlier in the year for one of their three league wins, were utterly woeful, but the hosts did a cracking job, running in 10 tries.

Departing player Rhyse Martin converted eight of them and booted four penalties for a 26-point haul after his 20 five days earlier at London Broncos. That equalled Iestyn Harris’ club record for most goals in a Super League game and was one of the finest kicking displays seen at the ground, certainly in the summer era. James Donaldson, also in his final Leeds appearance at Headingley, improved the final touchdown after the hooter.

Five days earlier, Rhinos turned down several kickable penalties against London Broncos and it nearly cost them in a game they won in extra-time. So when they got one in front of the posts after nine minutes this time, Martin took the two despite a potential third successive set on Hull’s line. They continued that tactic in the second half, when the game was long won. On each occasion, they scored a try in the next set.

The first try came when Rhinos kept the ball alive on the last after Matt Frawley’s kick bounced, Brodie Croft – who was devastating in Leeds’ attack – switched play with a kick to the left and Harry Newman made a fine take to touch down.

Mikolaj Oledzki offloaded out of a tackle to send Cameron Smith over on 23 minutes, after the prop, back from an injury layoff, had been teed up by Croft. Edgell scored Rhinos’ third try soon afterwards with a move off a scrum, Croft and Lachie Miller handling before the winger finished strongly at the corner.

Chris Kendall confirmed Tom Grant’s on-field call, which was a relief for Rhinos’ substitute Sam Lisone who was standing in his own in-goal by the time the decision was made. Hull second-rower Jed Cartwright was sin-binned before play restarted, for a late hit on Croft in the build-up.

Leeds added another try while he was off the field, James Bentley stepping through from acting-half on the last. Cartwright had just returned when Miller, continuing his god form, turned the ball to Croft and he ghosted through what can be loosely described as Hull’s defence. Martin’s sixth goal made it 32-0 at the interval.

Edgell scored his second try from exactly the same move as his first, just four minutes after the break, Edgell nipping over after Miller and Croft had handled. Martin’s conversion from the touchline took him level with John Atkinson’s points tally and he went ahead – becoming the club’s 13th highest points scorer – soon afterwards with a long-range penalty after a foul on Lisone which sparked some pushing and shoving. Leeds immediately scored again when Croft’s long pass picked out Edgell for his hat-trick.

Hull got the ball back from a short restart and Harvey Barron’s try, improved by Jack Charles, prevented a whitewash, but Rhinos didn’t let up. Edgell’s fourth try brought up the half-century; Croft slid over off good work by Andy Ackers and Frawley and Bentley crashed in for a deserved second in the final moments.

That came after Leeds had tapped a penalty in front of the posts, when Cartwright was yellow-carded again for a professional foul. Earlier Martin had booted two more two-pointers, but he handed over duties to allow Donaldson to wrap things up with his first goal for Leeds in his final act for the club at Headingley. The quality of the opposition has to be taken into account, but Leeds werfe much better than their previous game. Their discipline was good – conceding only two tries to Hull’s eight – and they made fewer errors.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Fusitu’a, Momirovski, Newman, Edgell, Croft, Frawley, Lisone, Ackers, Sangare, McDonnell, R Martin, Smith. Subs O’Connor, Bentley, Donaldson, Nicholson-Watton.

Hull FC: Moy, Barron, Tuimavave, Briscoe, L Martin, Charles, Walker, Ese’ese, Lane, Eseh, Sao, Cartwright, Aydin. Subs Fash, Ashworth, Gardiner, Balmforth.

Referee: Tom Grant (Leeds). Attendance: 14,105.