'He's learning to build the game': Jake Connor pilots Leeds Rhinos' happy return to Hull FC

Leeds’ travelling fans sang boss Brad Arthur’s praises as they partied in the stands, while on the pitch the team produced a stylish display to trounce the hosts 34-0; a fourth successive win which not only guaranteed their place in the Betfred Super League play-offs, but also lifted them to third in the table with three rounds remaining.

Under Arthur, who succeeded Smith as coach, Rhinos have become a tough team, who are hard to break down and play thrilling attacking rugby when they get on the front foot. After an even opening 24 minutes, they ran in four tries in a devastating 11-minute spell before the break - through Ryan Hall on his 400th Super League appearance, Kallum Watkins, Jake Connor and Morgan Gannon - to take a 24-0 lead.

Brodie Croft and James McDonnell added touchdowns during a scrappy second half. Most encouragingly from Leeds’ perspective, after conceding a late try in their previous two games, when a clean sheet had seemed likely, their defiance stood firm throughout.

Connor, playing against one of his former clubs again stole the show with the latest in a string of masterful performances.

His try, intercepting a pass from Brad Fash, was an outstanding read. He also provided passes to put Hall and McDonnell over and a kick for Gannon’s touchdown.

“He’s doing a good job,” said Arthur in his post-match press conference. “They [tries and assists] are all the pretty stats, but I just like how he’s controlling the game.

“That’s the important thing for us at the moment. He’s learning to build the game. Our [fourth] try, we didn’t quite get the looks we were after, but instead of pulling the trigger he just kept getting the boys to break it down - another tackle and another tackle, we got to the last play and he put the kick on the money.

“That just shows you his evolution as a game manager, whereas maybe even five or six weeks ago if we didn't quite get to where we needed, he was still trying to play every play.

“That’s a credit to where the spine is at as well. I think they've really started to gel over the last month.”

Connor’s half-back partner Croft also made a telling conversion, creating Watkins’ try with a clever kick and then stepping through the defence to score himself at the start of the second period.

Arthur added: “Brodie is doing a really good job, playing a really good support role. He’s a threat with the ball, he’s running and doing a lot of work with his communication on where the ball should go and often he has put his ego aside and knows he’s not getting the ball because he knows it needs to go in the other direction if teams are marking up on him.

“Physically, he has been really good for us. He has been really good defensively and with his effort areas.”

Prop Keenan Palasia was a late withdrawal with a knee injury and Leeds had a scare in the second half when 21-year-old centre Max Simpson was carried from the field on a stretcher following a high tackle which was placed on report.

It was Simpson’s first Super League game for three years, after major ankle and knee injuries and just two comeback matches in the reserves.

He was taken to hospital, but later allowed home after being cleared of any serious damage to his neck.

Hull made a solid start, but offered very little once Leeds had gone ahead. They, too, were missing several key players, Jed Cartwright being the latest to join the casualty list before the game. Herman Ese’ese (lower leg) and Ed Chamberlain (hamstring) limped off within a few minutes of each other in the first half.

With Wakefield winning at home to Huddersfield Giants late on Saturday, Hull dropped to seventh in the table and their play-off hopes now look slim.

Reflecting on Saturday’s performance, coach John Cartwright said: “We had the better of the game at the 20-minute mark and that’s when the rot set in.

“In the first 20 minutes I don’t think we played all that smart, but we were perfect with the ball, we put them into corners and we defended really well.

“Then we made three errors - two intercepts and a pass that went to ground - and they capitalised and scored their points. That pretty much took the game away from us.”

Hull FC: Hardaker, Barron, Rapana, Litten, Martin, Cust, Sezer, Ese’ese, Borough, Watts, Chamberlain, Lane, Aydin. Subs Briscoe, Ashworth, Fash, Laidlaw.

Rhinos: Miller, Hall, Newman, Simpson, Hankinson, Croft, Connor, Cassell, O’Connor, Oledzki, Gannon, McDonnell, Watkins. Subs Lisone, Bentley, Jenkins, Shorrocks.

Referee: Aaron Moore (Wigan).