Following last weekend's win over Salford Red Devils on the road, take a look behind the key numbers, stats and facts from the round eighteen performance...

*All statistics supplied by OPTA

Team head to head

Games between Leeds and Salford have been tight in previous years and the 2023 edition at the AJ Bell Stadium was no exception.

Not much split the two sides on the scoreboard or in the match starts, but the Red Devils' penalty count proved the biggest sticking point as the home side fell to their fourth consecutive defeat in recent weeks. The Red Devils conceded eleven penalties - the majority in defence - compared to Leeds who only made five altogether. 

Out of the 1425 total metres made in the game, almost half (601) came in the second half, along with 20 tackle breaks and two tries from Ken Sio and Tim Lafai, but the boot of Rhyse Martin proved decisive as his two penalties in four minutes edged the Rhinos to victory.

For the Rhinos, they didn't have the same freedom in this game as they did in the first halves against Huddersfield or Warrington, but Rohan Smith's side got the job done. In set completion, they were efficient in the first half with 12 completed sets from 17 (compared to Salford's seven completed from 14), and although they finished behind Salford in total metres, a pleasing sight was how props Sam Walters and Mikolaj Oledzki took the game by the scruff of the neck to finish with 200 combined metres. On the opposite side of the field, Salford's props Jack Ormondroyd and Alex Gerrard made 59; Ormondroyd was taken from the field after 22 minutes though. 

Another area of interest for Leeds was the metres that Richie Myler, Ash Handley and David Fusitu'a were allowed to make across the back line. The trio all made over 100 total metres from double-figure carries, with Myler posting some of his highest metrics this season.

Key Battle

A battle of the centres saw Tim Lafai and Nene Macdonald lead the attacking lines for Salford and Leeds as the two former St George Illawarra Dragons team mates went head to head.

In his eleventh game of the season, Lafai recorded two of the Red Devils' three tries and also topped the home side's metres, post-contact metres and tackle busts. His 13 tackle busts in particular were the centre's second-highest tally in that metric since he broke 14 tackles against Hull FC in a 29-22 win, and is the fourth most breaks made by a player in a single Super League game.

Macdonald is the only player with more tackle busts than Lafai in the competition this season, although he only had six in Sunday's game. Like his opposite number though, the PNG international also topped Leeds' players in metres and post-contact metres as well, plus he also finished in the top five ball carriers (only three behind joint leaders Aidan Sezer and Rhyse Martin). Compared to his stats against Salford at Headingley, interestingly he made more metres from fewer carries this week than he did on home soil back in round 11.

Top Leeds Performances

Next Up: Hull KR

Rohan Smith's Rhinos return to Headingley for Inclusivity Round, as they look to close the gap on the top six against Hull KR, who are also chasing a potential place in the play-offs come the end of the season.

Ticket prices for this week's game starts at £24 for adults, £16 for concessions and £12 for juniors, and also includes the Under-18s Academy's clash with Hull KR beforehand at 5.30pm.

Here's the following methods that you can buy tickets now:

Online: tickets.therhinos.co.uk.  

Over the phone: 0371 423 1315 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm - Opening Hours) 

In person at Leeds Rhinos Club Shop- Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm (Opening Hours) 

Please always check opening hours before travelling Opening Hours