Peter Smith’s verdict: Chastening start for Leeds Rhinos at the Wolves

Winning away to joint title favourites Warrington Wolves in round one always looked a big ask, but Rhinos’ minimum requirement was to be competitive and, in stages of the game that mattered, they weren’t.

Leeds started reasonably well and the 12 second half points were shared, but from the 15th minute to the 40th Warrington were utterly dominant.

That is when the game was lost and won as Rhinos turned around with an insurmountable 20-0 deficit.

In the end, 26-6 was a thumping, but it could have been a lot worse.

Most worryingly for Rhinos, their pack were beaten physically. Warrington were stronger and faster around the ruck, quick play-the-balls got them on the front foot and Leeds could not control their offloads.

Rhinos defended with real intent for patches, but dropped off tackles at key times and the visitors also conceded unnecessary penalties.

Rhinos actually received more penalties than Warrington – the count was nine-eight – but failed to do anything with them and Tui Lolohea missed touch on one early occasion.

By contrast, three of Wolves’ four tries followed a penalty and their other came off a scrum following successive knock-ons by Leeds close to the visiting team’s line.

Rhinos fielded four debutants, centre Konrad Hurrell, stand-off Lolohea, Trent Merrin – at prop – and substitute forward James Donaldson.

Hurrell was the pick, running the ball strongly, but Warrington had a plan and they put numbers – not always legally – on him every time he had possession.

The Tongan was Leeds’ best source of go-forward, but when an outside-back is doing that is it not a good reflection on the men up front.

Leeds’ halves didn’t really get into the game – which is not surprising when the pack don’t dominate – and Merrin found the going tough. Surprise signing Donaldson worked hard as did all the substitutes and Leeds lifted when Brad Dwyer came on, though by then it was too late to influence the outcome.

The opening 10 minutes were evenly-contested with Jack Walker having a touchdown ruled out for a knock-on and Warrington’s star signing Blake Austin spilling Bryson Goodwin’s pass with the line open, but then a professional foul prevented Rhinos going ahead on 12 minutes and after that things went rapidly downhill.

Jack Hughes’ off-the-ball tackle on Hurrell need not have been a pivotal moment, but Leeds failed to make the most of their numerical advantage and seemed to lose heart for a spell when they went behind.

Hurrell would have scored if he had taken his winger Ash Handley’s return pass after a break created by Adam Cuthbertson, Richie Myler and Walker, but the Leeds man was tackled before the ball reached him.

Hughes was sin-binned, but Leeds couldn’t make the penalty count and by the time to second-rower returned the home team were 8-0 ahead and writing was on the wall.

Leeds failed to do anything with the game’s first three penalties and Warrington taught them a lesson as they received the next four.

They went ahead when Stefan Ratchford stepped past Lolohea and through Walker’s attempted tackle for a try which the full-back converted before adding a penalty as Hughes waited to return. A Hurrell knock-on put Rhinos under pressure, Warrington’s attack seemed to have broken down, but Tom Briscoe agonisingly fumbled a low kick into touch and Ryan Atkins sent Josh Charnley over after 28minutes.

Ratchford booted a huge touchline conversion and Warrington scored off another penalty three minutes later, Daryl Clark getting past Matt Parcell and Walker to crawl over the line.

Leeds had a late chance, but Walker was held up from a pass by Hurrell.

The young full-back wasn’t faultless, but he showed enterprise when he got attacking opportunities.

Warrington were excellent in the first half and did not need to maintain that standard after the interval, though Leeds did improve.

The second half was largely a stalemate and there was no sign of Leeds being able to turn things around, but at least they didn’t look like being overwhelmed either.

Warrington’s only try came after 58 minutes when Austin – a hot tip to be named Man of Steel this year – crossed off a one-two with Toby King and Ratchford landed his fourth goal.

At that stage Leeds were on course to be nilled for only the third time in the Super League era, but they did show some urgency in the final quarter and were rewarded with four minutes left.

Stevie Ward had taken a heavy knock a few moments earlier, but showed great strength and determination to hold off Mike Cooper after Merrin’s pass had been helped on by Dwyer. Lolohea added the extras.

Warrington were back down to 12 at that stage, King having been sin-binned for a dangerous tackle which upended Ward.

It was a deserved try for the Leeds second-rower who gave his all and kept getting back up when knocked down, something Leeds as a unit will have to replicate, certainly during what’s likely to be a difficult start to the campaign.

Rhinos did have two other chances with their numerical advantage, but both times Handley – who showed good spirit all game – was tackled into touch by Charnley.

Liam Sutcliffe played in the second-row and could hold his head high after a whole-hearted effort, including a magnificent try-saving tackle on Austin in the first half.

Avoiding a whitewash was little consolation for Rhinos, but last year they won three of their opening four games and finished ninth; fourth-placed Warrington – who reached both major finals – lost four of their first six.

Only seven of the players which started this season played in Rhinos’ final game of last year, which is an indication of the changes going on in Rhinos’ squad.

Alongside the debutants, captain Kallum Watkins featured in Super League for the first time since his anterior cruciate ligament injury last May.

Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who had been named in the initial 19, missed out due to illness.

Carl Ablett and Dom Crosby are on the casualty list, but Rhinos’ were strong enough for Furner to leave Nathaniel Peteru out of his squad. Cameron Smith, who impressed in pre-season, was 18th man.