Croft hat-trick helps Leeds beat Catalans
Brodie Croft scored three tries as Leeds Rhinos defeated Catalans Dragons 28-6 in the Super League, restoring their four-point lead at the top of the table.
Croft's hat-trick secures Leeds victory
Brodie Croft scored a hat-trick to help Super League pacesetters Leeds Rhinos restore their four-point lead at the summit with a 28-6 victory against a stubborn Catalans Dragons side in Perpignan.
Croft grabbed the first of his treble of tries in between efforts from Harry Newman and Lachlan Miller, which put Leeds 16-0 up at half-time. The half-back went on to grab two more tries in 11 second-half minutes to ensure an ultimately comfortable victory in the south of France.
Ugo Tison did well to fend off one tackler and hold off two more defenders as he crashed over in the final seconds of the game to ensure Catalans avoided being held pointless at home.
Croft's try-scoring exploits at the Stade Gilbert Brutus took his tally for the season to 20. The night also carried huge expectation for Maika Sivo, who had a Super League record in his sights. A try would have seen the Fijian equal the Super League record for tries scored in consecutive games, but he was starved of chances and his scoring spree ended at 10 matches.
Catalans head coach John Cartwright made four changes, including a debut for Edenn Rogers-Smith. Despite a much-improved display compared to last week's heavy defeat, a third-straight loss leaves Catalans eighth in the table, six points adrift of the top six.
Leeds coach Brad Arthur praised his team's professionalism and ball control. He noted they learned from previous mistakes and were able to stay composed when Catalans tried to rattle them in the second half.
