Brodie Croft's Four-Try Masterclass Leads Leeds to Victory
Brodie Croft, who had never previously scored a senior hat-trick, delivered an outstanding performance by scoring four tries as Leeds Rhinos overwhelmed Huddersfield Giants at the Accu Stadium. Leeds scored a total of 10 tries against a struggling Huddersfield defence, securing a commanding win that propelled them to the top of the Super League standings.
The Australian stand-off's quadruple marked a personal milestone and contributed significantly to Leeds' third consecutive victory. This win also halted Huddersfield's recent resurgence, which had seen them claim their first wins of the season against Wigan Warriors and York Knights.
With this result, Leeds moved above St Helens on points difference to lead the table, while Huddersfield dropped to 11th place.
Match Overview and Key Moments
Huddersfield fans entered the Yorkshire derby with optimism, supported by interim coach Liam Finn and a near full-strength squad. Their morale was boosted by recent victories, but Leeds quickly asserted dominance despite a slow start.
Huddersfield capitalized early when George King powered over for his first try of the season within 62 seconds, following a long kick from Leeds' Lachie Miller. However, this initial success was short-lived as Leeds responded emphatically, scoring five unanswered tries before halftime.
Croft opened the scoring for Leeds, and after the restart, Jarrod O'Connor extended their lead by exploiting Huddersfield's defensive lapses. The Giants' defence was notably porous, missing an astonishing 51 tackles throughout the match. Leeds capitalized on this, maintaining possession, executing swift ball movement, and posing constant attacking threats.
Huddersfield's challenges were compounded when Sam Halsall, returning from a six-week hamstring injury, was forced off after 16 minutes due to a calf issue. Leeds continued to build pressure as James McDonnell's deft pass set up Jack Bird for a try, followed by Ryan Hall scoring his 250th try for Leeds. Miller added another try with a well-executed chip and chase.
Before halftime, Huddersfield offered a glimmer of hope with Jacob Douglas finishing strongly in the corner. However, the Giants' hopes were undermined when Taane Milne, injured during the buildup to that try, failed a head injury assessment due to not wearing a mandatory mouthguard, resulting in his automatic removal from play.
Second Half Dominance and Final Score
Leeds extended their lead in the second half with Cam Smith crossing the line, followed by a strategic 40/20 kick from Jake Connor, who also successfully kicked eight conversions. This set up Croft's second try. Within three minutes, Croft scored his third try, and Jacob Gagai added his fourth try in five games, providing some consolation for Huddersfield supporters.
Despite this, Leeds maintained control. Maika Sivo, Super League's top try-scorer, secured his 15th try of the season, and Croft completed his remarkable performance with a fourth try. Olly Russell added a late consolation try for Huddersfield.
Match Statistics
Huddersfield Tries: King, Douglas, Gagai, Russell
Goals: Lolohea, Russell 2
Leeds Tries: Croft 4, O'Connor, Bird, Hall, Miller, Smith, Sivo
Goals: Connor 8
Team Lineups
Huddersfield: Evalds; Douglas, Halsall, Gagai, Swift; Lolohea, Clune; Powell, Patolo, O'Donnell, Rogers, Woolford, King.
Interchanges: Milne, Burgess, Cozza, Russell.
Leeds: Miller; Hall, Bird, Handley, Sivo; Croft, Connor; Holroyd, O'Connor, Jenkins, McDonnell, Hankinson, Palasia.
Interchanges: Oledzki, Levi, Watkins, Smith.
