Zak Hardaker scores 26 points as Leeds Rhinos crush Salford
Last Updated: 18/07/15 8:05am
Zak Hardaker returned from suspension with a 26-point haul from two touchdowns and nine goals as Leeds went back to the top of Super League with a 70-6 destruction of sorry Salford.
Ryan Hall and Carl Ablett also grabbed braces with Kallum Watkins, like Hall, taking his season's total to 15 tries as the Rhinos ran amok throughout a hugely one-sided encounter.
Seven different try scorers gave Leeds an unassailable 40-0 half-time advantage and six more scores after the break ensured the Rhinos their biggest win of the season
The defeat condemns the Red Devils to the Middle 8s when the top two divisions split after next week's 23rd round.
It was virtually one-way traffic from the start and Leeds went ahead in the seventh minute when Danny McGuire twisted and tumbled his way over for his 12th try of the season.
The Red Devils conceded a glut of early penalties and the Rhinos prospered with Adam Cuthbertson then crashing onto a Paul Aiton pass to cross from close range.
Hardaker could easily have made it three tries in the opening quarter of an hour but over-elaboration led to the Rhinos full-back tossing the ball into touch with team-mates queuing up to score.
Reckless
Salford's cause was not helped when former Leeds prop Adrian Morley, on his last appearance at Headingley before retiring at the end of the season, was sin-binned for reckless high shot on Rob Burrow.
Jimmy Keinhorst put Watkins over in the corner against the 12 men and McGuire's dab in goal was successfully raced onto by Brett Delaney.
When the kick-off sailed directly into touch the Red Devils knew it was going to be a long, tough night and before Morley was restored to the field of play, Hardaker himself went over with a massive overlap to spare to help the rampant Rhinos to 30-0 and scoring at a point a minute.
Hall was next to cross in the corner and although Joel Moon was denied another try for double movement, he did score against his former team on 38 minutes to help his side into a 40-0 interval lead.
Former Rhino Ben Jones-Bishop was denied a try when Junior Sa'u's pass was deemed forward and, just seconds later, an Ash Handley break from his own half led to Hardaker claiming his second try.
Niall Evalds grabbed a consolation for the Red Devils, which Cory Paterson converted, but further tries from Hall, Keinhorst, Josh Walters and Ablett (twice) confirmed the Rhinos total dominance.
