Leeds Rhinos needed the boot of Brodie Croft for the second time in 2024 to beat London Broncos 21-20 at the Cherry Red Records Stadium as Brad Arthur’s side closed the gap to the top six with an important two league points.

Man of the match Rhyse Martin scored all of Leeds’ points inside of 80 minutes as the back-rower became the 12^th player in the club’s history to hit the 1,000 points milestone, but the visitors were made to work for the win as the Broncos took the game into golden point with an Ethan Natoli try on the 75^th minute.

For the first time since July 2023, the Rhinos named an unchanged lineup in a Betfred Super League match as they faced the Broncos for the third time this season. Harry Newman, Rhyse Martin, James Donaldson and Cameron Smith were all part of the last Leeds side that took on London in the capital in 2019, whilst all three try scorers last time out (David Fusitu’a, Lachie Miller and Matt Frawley) were also retained.

In their final home run out of the year, London applied pressure in the game's early stages and got the opening try inside of five minutes. A high shot on Rhys Kennedy by Sam Lisone allowed the Broncos to get their first attacking sets close to the Leeds try line as Jack Campagnolo forced a drop out from David Fusitu’a on the last tackle, before the London half back managed to duck and dive his way over the try line to put the Broncos ahead.

The Rhinos ensured they hit back minutes later through Martin as they got an important equalising score. A penalty on Cameron Smith gave Leeds some respite from their defensive efforts as they got their first chance to test the London line, and a clever kick by Brodie Croft sat up just in time for Martin, who pinched the ball out of Josh Rourke’s grasp to score under the posts.

As the game continued in the heat at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, both sides struggled to keep hold of the ball as they passed up scoring chances. The Broncos couldn’t use a knock on by David Fusitu’a to their advantage as Oliver Leyland was caught in possession by a quick Leeds defence on the last tackle, but the Rhinos were also unable to convert chances as substitutes James Bentley, who took a forward pass from Andy Ackers, and Jarrod O’Connor were both denied by errors.

A high tackle on Bentley saw Martin opt to take a penalty goal to edge the visitors ahead, which proved important by the end of the half, and the back rower didn’t have to wait long to make a piece of personal history as he scored his second try of the game. Having bombed more chances for tries, a clever kick by Matt Frawley caught London’s Josh Rourke napping as Martin was allowed a free run onto the ball to score his 1000^th point for the club, as well as make the score 14-6.  

The Broncos didn’t give up in the dying stages of the half and drew themselves back into the contest with the final play of the game. Off the back of a late hit from Tom Nicholson-Watton on Campagnolo, London tested the Leeds defence with runs from Lewis Bienek and Sadiq Adebiyi, but both were answered well by the wall of blue and amber. A disappointing knock on from Paul Momirovski though allowed the home side to have one last chance to put points on the board and Emmanuel Waine took it as he connected with Campagnolo’s kick into a dangerous area to touch down. Leyland added the two points as Leeds took a marginal 14-12 lead at the break.

The start of the second half saw the Broncos try to spring a surprise on the Rhinos as they were denied two scoring chances. A break by first half try-scorer Waine almost set up Leyland go to score, but Miller produced a great effort to stop the half back. Waine was also held up on the following play, before Hakim Miloudi looked to score in the corner, but video referee Liam Moore confirmed that the French international had lost the ball under pressure from Momirovski and Miller.

Leeds retaliated as O’Connor fed Cameron Smith on a flat ball close to the try line but the skipper couldn’t beat the London defence to get the ball on the ground. Momirovski looked to have scored his eighth try of the season, off the back of great carries from Harry Newman and Miller, but the video referee denied the try as the centre knocked on going over the line.

London looked to make the Rhinos pay for their missed chances as Rourke beat Miller in the air to touch down, but referee Marcus Griffiths and video referee Liam Moore both confirmed that Bienek was offside in the process of Rourke scoring to chalk the effort off. A knock on by James McDonnell though made Leeds defend some more and this time Kershaw made the attack count as he went in at the corner to make the score 16-14, 23 minutes from full time.

Leeds needed to build pressure to try and get themselves back in the lead, and Martin came up with the answer to score his hat trick try. Croft proved to be the creator as his last tackle caught out Miloudi, who was forced to concede a drop out by batting the ball behind, before the Rhinos half back produced a great pass to put Martin clean through the line to score an important try for the visitors.

Heading into the final ten minutes, both sides were under pressure as London looked to a winner, whilst Leeds looked to hold onto the league points. Using a penalty for a late hit on Leyland to their advantage, London went straight on the attack as Kershaw found space to break down the wing, and with only Miller to beat, the London winger managed to smuggle the ball out behind him to Natoli, who found the try line. Leyland stepped up to take the crucial conversion but it hit the uprights, making the score 20-20 with four minutes left.

Both sides had chances to win the contest in regulation time as a knock-on by Tom Nicholson-Watton led to London moving into drop goal range, but Campagnolo pulled his one-pointer wide. Leeds and Croft decided against the drop goal option as the ball was shifted wide to Newman, but the centre threw a wild offload away that Kershaw almost used to counter attack, only for Miller to stop the winger from racing away in the dying seconds to send the game into golden point for the second time this year.

A nervy start to extra time saw neither side get into range quickly as the battle continued. Croft had the best effort of the first five-minute spell, but his drop goal attempt from 40 metres out didn’t have the height to get over the crossbar as the score remained 20-20.

London opened the second golden point spell with Campagnolo coming inches away from winning the game for the Broncos, but his effort ricocheted off the crossbar. Leyland also sent an attempt wide, but the seven-tackle set that Leeds gained off the back of the miss proved crucial. Marching downfield, Ackers and O'Connor made inroad down the middle of the field to set up Croft, who kicked the Rhinos to a 21-20 win.

Broncos

23. Josh Rourke, 2. Lee Kershaw, 12. Ethan Natoli, 3. Jarred Bassett, 4. Hakim Miloudi, 20. Oli Leyland, 6. Jack Campagnolo, 8. Rob Butler, 9. Sam Davis, 19. Rhys Kennedy, 11. Will Lovell (C), 17. Sadiq Adebiyi, 15. Marcus Stock

Subs: 10. Lewis Bienek, 18. Emmanuel Waine, 29. Jacob Jones, 34. Ugo Tison (18^th Man – 21. Robbie Storey)

Tries: Campagnolo (5), Waine (39), Kershaw (56), Natoli (75)

Goals: Leyland 2/4

Rhinos

1. Lachie Miller, 2. David Fusitu’a, 4. Paul Momirovski, 3. Harry Newman, 29. Alfie Edgell, 6. Brodie Croft, 7. Matt Frawley, 17. Justin Sangare, 9. Andy Ackers, 15. Sam Lisone, 16. James McDonnell, 12. Rhyse Martin, 13. Cameron Smith (C)

Subs: 11. James Bentley, 14. Jarrod O’Connor, 25. James Donaldson, 30. Tom Nicholson-Watton (18th Man – 21. Jack Sinfield)

Tries: Martin (10, 33, 63)

Goals: Martin 4/4

Drop Goal: Croft (89)