 Ali Lauitiiti drives forward for the Rhinos |
Leeds:(14) 16
Tries: Toopi, Jones-Buchanan, Smith
Goals: Sinfield 2 Huddersfield:(8) 12
Tries: Crabtree, Thorman
Goals: Thorman 2
Leeds condemned Huddersfield to their fourth straight Super League defeat at Headingley, and in so doing went joint top of the Super League table.
Giants skipper Chris Thorman slotted an early penalty before Rob Burrow set up Clinton Toopi to score for the hosts.
Eorl Crabtree hit back with a try for Huddersfield, but Jamie Jones-Buchanan crossed to give Leeds the lead again.
Lee Smith scored again for Leeds and Kevin Sinfield slotted a penalty before Thorman grabbed a late consolation.
Four sin-binnings characterised an ill-tempered encounter which left Huddersfield still seeking their first Super League win of the season.
Giants veteran Paul Reilly and centre Jamahl Lolesi were both shown the yellow card either side of the break, while Leeds full-back Brent Webb was sin-binned twice.
606 DEBATE: Your thoughts on the game
Leeds coach Tony Smith:
"The pitch was certainly a leveller, but there was some great desperation in our defence and in the end that probably told. "Huddersfield tested us and that shows how close Super League is this season. They were desperate for points and they played that way.
"But the teams at the top also have to be desperate to beat those teams at the bottom."
Huddersfield coach Jon Sharp:
"We've played three really good sides now in St Helens, Bradford and Leeds, and we've gone toe-to-toe with them. "There's only been one score in it and, even when we lost to Hull KR it was the same. That defeat left a sour taste in our mouths.
"The players are devastated in there because we may even have nicked it at the end, but we're pretty pleased with the overall process of what we're doing."
Leeds: Webb, Donald, Toopi, Senior, Smith, McGuire, Burrow, Peacock, Diskin, Bailey, Jones-Buchanan, Ellis, Sinfield.
Replacements: Lauitiiti, Thackray, Leuluai, Tansey.
Huddersfield: Thorman, Gardner, Lolesi, Nero, Reilly, Brown, Paul, Mason, Drew, Skandalis, Jones, Crabtree, Wild.
Replacements: Raleigh, Griffin, Hudson, Snitch.
Referee: I Smith (Oldham)
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