Leeds Rhinos continued their winning form over Bradford Bulls at Magic Weekend as three tries from captain Ash Handley spearheaded a 50-16 result for Brad Arthur’s side at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

A second derby win of the season saw the Rhinos dominate proceedings from the first minute as Handley's try scoring antics were joined by Maika Sivo, who set a new club Super League record for tries scored in consecutive matches. Brodie Croft, Jarrod O’Connor and Chris Hankinson were also amongst the scorers as Leeds confirmed a half century of points against their derby rivals.

Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur made two squad rotations as he handed bench players an opportunity for minutes from the start with ten round left in the season. Jarrod O’Connor and Cooper Jenkins both stepped up into the starting 13 after both coming on as substitutes in the last two matches against Hull KR and Warrington, whilst Kallum Watkins and Danny Levi both featured dropped down in their place. They joinedTom Holroyd and Cameron Smith.

In the fifth meeting between the two clubs at Magic Weekend – and the first in over a decade – fans were treated to tight opening affair as the West Yorkshire rivals met for the second time in 2026. Leeds had the best chance to test out Bradford’s defence from scoring range as strong carries by Ryan Hall and Harry Newman enabled the Rhinos to get in attacking positions, only for the attacks to get caught out by Guy Armitage and the left edge defence of Bradford’s line.

Despite Maika Sivo being prevented from finishing in the corner after a well worked move out to the left edge, the first Leeds score of the game followed as Brodie Croft extended his try tally in 2026. An error from the Bulls invited the Rhinos to attack the Bradford try line from short range, and as expected, the league leaders converted as Croft linked up with Jarrod O’Connor to take the hookers’ grubber kick and open the scoring after nine minutes.

Lucky defence from the Bulls prevented a second Rhinos try shortly after, starting with a half break by Harry Newman. As the Leeds centre caught the Bradford defence off guard, the next play saw James McDonnell recreate a similar grubber kick to the one that saw the second rower score a try at Bartercard Odsal earlier in the year, but the play forced a goal line drop out. Quickly resetting their attack, Jake Connor’s looping pass was a good idea but wasn’t executed as the ball sailed over Ryan Hall’s head and over the sideline. Kurt Haggerty’s side counteracted with a promising set that pushed the Bulls to within five metres of the Rhinos try line, only for them to turn the ball over on the last tackle.

Chris Hankinson was also denied a try as the back rower looked to follow up at Jake Connor kick, but he didn’t have to wait long to extend his scoring streak to six games. Another well worked set from the Rhinos got them within range yet again, and after an O’Connor dart out of dummy half, Connor stepped up to stab a grubber kick into the in-goal area and Hankinson intently followed up to plant the ball down and double the Rhinos’ lead.

The try assist for Hankinson’s try only added to Connor’s growing confidence as a drop out forced from the half back’s last tackle kick added a third score to Leeds’ tally. Mikolaj Oledzki and Keenan Palasia laid the platform off the back of the ensuing drop out, and as Connor tried a drive for the line himself, O’Connor darted out of dummy half to get the ball down and celebrate behind the posts. Connor converted to make the score 18-0 with 12 minutes remaining.

Full back Caleb Aekins got a score back for the Bulls as the full back got over for his third try in four matches, but a swift Leeds response ensured the Rhinos held a convincing z lead at the break. Croft was the architect as the half back caught Leon Ruan and Chris Atkin napping to drive through, and an easy pass one on one with Aekins saw James McDonnell finish an excellent score.

Not satisfied with their tally, skipper Ash Handley ended the contest was over with tries either side of half time. Working the defence of Jayden Nikorima and Eliot Peposhi well, the centre fended his way over the try line to take the score to 30-4 lead at the break. Fresh after the interval, a holding down penalty proved to be the Bulls’ downfall as Miller and Watkins combined to put Handley into space and there was no stopping the captain from getting the ball over the try line inside that range.

Whilst the Bulls struggled for attacking opportunities throughout the 80 minutes, Waqa Blake offered a glimpse of a scoring chance as he looked to ghost his way through. Denied by strong defence again from Leeds, a fresh set ended in Ethan Ryan crossing in the corner, but confusingly successful captain’s challenge saw a knock on by arrive Doro in the build up be overturned as an offload by the prop but denied as a try by the video referee. Regardless, Ryan was up to the task as he added two back-to-back tries minutes later. Initially taking Nikorima’s pass over the top of Leeds’ edge defence to score in the corner to make the score 34-10, a quick shift the edge released the winger again and a quick exchange of passes with Aekins saw Ryan round Miller to extend his run at the top of Bradford’s try scoring charts.

The derby was starting to come alive, and Bradford sensed a wobble in the Rhinos’ defence for Doro to break through to spark a third successive try. Even though a crunching tackle on sub Mitch Souter halted the attack momentarily, winger Ryan soon found himself with ball in hand and acres of space to run into, but vital defence from the Rhinos shut down the attack to force a drop out. The defensive effort was soon rewarded as a combination of good carries by Tom Holroyd and James McDonnell set up Handley to combine with Connor for a sixth Leeds try as the score ticked over to 40-16 with under 20 minutes to go.

With a sixth successive Super League win to extend their stay at the top of the standings, Leeds’ Danny Levi tried to cap the result with his own run out of dummy half, only to be pulled up by referee Aaron Moore for a double movement in the act of scoring. Whilst there wasn’t concern for the by the Leeds fans with the score at 40-16, a tackle take from Connor on Nikorima had Leeds fans panicking of a potential shoulder injury, but the reigning Man of Steel powered through to see out the rest of the match.

The only element left on Magic Weekend’s second outing in the city of Liverpool was a historic moment, and Sivo delivered by setting a new record with a try in his tenth successive match. Having never scored against the Bulls previously, a successful captains challenge by Leeds led to the Rhinos winger being posted in the corner by centre partner Handley, who gave up the opportunity of a hat trick for Sivo to break the club’s Super League record.

Wynne and Hankinson were both denied tries out on the edges as the scoring continued to the full-time whistle, where Handley got his third deserved try. To their coach's joy, Leeds kept their intensity up until the last tackle of the game, where Connor’s elegantly placed kick was taken by Handley for the skipper to gather and score a third try of a first career hat trick since scoring five against Hull FC in 2022. Connor’s conversion sailed over to make the final score 50-16.

Teams

Rhinos

1. Lachie Miller 2. Maika Sivo, 4. Ash Handley (C), 3. Harry Newman, 5. Ryan Hall, 6. Brodie Croft, 7. Jake Connor, 8. Mikolaj Oledzki, 9. Jarrod O’Connor, 13. Keenan Palasia, 14. Chris Hankinson, 12. James McDonnell, 15. Cooper Jenkins

Subs:, 10. Tom Holroyd, 11. Kallum Watkins, 23. Danny Levi, 17. Cameron Smith (18th Man – 20. Presley Cassell)