Peter Smith’s verdict: Impressive Leeds Rhinos tear Hull FC to shreds

For most of this year they haven’t lived up to that, but Rhinos’ 11-try rout of hapless Hull FC suggested those expectations weren’t too far off the mark after all.

Missing all their most creative players, Hull were there for the taking, but the question was could Leeds handle them through the middle? Hull had some big men in their 17 and Chris Satae certainly stood up and gave Rhinos plenty to think about.

But, for possibly the first time this year, Leeds’ spine combined superbly and the three-quarters took full advantage to tear Hull to shreds.

There was, for a while, a danger Leeds might beat themselves. They let Hull back into the game after going 12-0 up, bombed a glorious chance to take a three-score lead into the break and conceded first after leading 22-10 at half-time.

Rhinos have tended not to respond well to setbacks in 2022, but on this occasion they regrouped and came back stronger when FC threatened to make a game of it.

Satae’s 49th-minute try, converted by Josh Griffin, cut Leeds’ advantage to six points, but when Kruise Leeming crossed for the second time in the game the floodgates opened and Rhinos ran in 36 points in the final 24.

The biggest beneficiary was Ash Handley, the left-winger who has had a fine season so far, in very difficult circumstances, without getting the rewards his efforts deserve.

On this occasion they did as he added tries on 69, 74 and 78 minutes to his first-half brace. It was only the fifth time a Leeds player has gone nap in a Super League game, after Danny McGuire twice (against Widnes Vikings in 2004 and Bradford Bulls in 2012), Ali Lauitiiti – as a substitute – away to Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in 2005 and Ryan Hall against Castleford Tigers four years later.

Handley has certainly scored better tries, but he was in the right place at the right time to profit from some superb work on the left-edge.

Liam Sutcliffe played a big role in that, though he’ll want to forget the knock-on close to the line which cost Leeds what would have been a sensational try just before half-time.

Rugby league is most exciting when teams give the ball some width and Rhinos did that at every opportunity. Clearly, with only two props in the 17, going through the middle wasn’t the smart option, so instead they kept the ball alive whenever possible and it was terrific to watch.

With Harry Newman, Bodene Thompson and Zane Tetevano suspended, coach Rohan Smith was forced into changes, but it was restoring Richie Myler at full-back and moving Zak Hardaker into the right-centre which proved most significant.

Myler has done a solid job in the halves when needed this year, but is wasted as a back-up hooker, when Leeds have a nine in Leeming who can play big minutes.

Ever since he fell into the role two years ago, when Jack Walker was injured, Myler has looked like a natural full-back and he was a painful thorn in Hull’s side, scoring one try and being involved in at least four others.

Hardaker has made no secret of preferring to play at number one, but he is also a quality centre and was a spearhead of Leeds’ attack.

Rhyse Martin had a big game one place in from where he has been featuring, back in the left second-row. By his high standards, his goal kicking has been a little wayward recently, but his radar was working again as he converted nine of the 11 tries.

Considering six of them were scored by wingers, that’s a good effort.

David Fusitu’a, on the opposite flank to Handley, may have been outshone in the scoring stakes, but his punishing runs in yardage are becoming a potent weapon in Leeds’ armoury and his try, from a high kick, was a belter.

Centres and wingers need quality ball to be able to do their stuff and earlier in the campaign, when Leeds were Super League’s lowest scorers, they didn’t get that.

The visit to MKM Stadium was only the eighth time Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer have played together and their partnership is still a work in progress, but there were encouraging signs.

Their kicking troubled Hull, Sezer picked out some nice passes – as well as an intercept which handed Darnell McIntosh the chance to get the hosts off the mark – and Austin’s running games was strong.

Leeming had a fine match, crossing twice and Leeds’ starting – and indeed, only – props Mikolaj Oledzki and Matt Prior both got Rhinos off on the right foot.

Oledzki’s first stint was particularly good and he opened the scoring with a try on his 100th appearance for the club.

Handley’s first was followed by back-to-back touchdowns for McIntosh and – off a kick – Danny Houghton, which McIntosh converted, but Leeds hit back through Handley and Leeming, off Myler’s break.

After Leeming grabbed his second try, Myler completed a fine move involving Hardaker, Prior and Martin, the full-back sent Sutcliffe in and Fusitu’a touched down before Handley took over.

Leeds’ attack grabbed the plaudits, in their highest away score since 2009, but they were also strong defensively. Now the challenge is to back it up on a consistent basis, against better teams than the one Hull put out.