Matt Parcell shines as Leeds storm to clinical victory over Warrington

There have been many moments already this season to suggest Leeds and Warrington are on different paths – this was perhaps the most conclusive of them all. A year ago, it was Leeds toiling at the wrong end of Super League while Warrington pressed ahead for major honours, finishing with the League Leaders’ Shield and appearances in both major finals.

There is a way to go yet before Leeds can reach any of those milestones, but the annus horribilis that was 2016 is slowly being cast further into the back of everyone’s minds at the Rhinos. This year has been much more like the Leeds of old – and how fitting it was that in their biggest ever Super League victory against Warrington, some of their old guard stole the show.

The captain, Danny McGuire, was magnificent and he was ably supported by fellow veterans Rob Burrow and Jamie Jones-Buchanan, both of whom scored tries in this comprehensive victory. But there is also a nod to the future in this Leeds team – Matt Parcell looks a fine acquisition since arriving from the NRL, to name but one example.

“It was clinical and the further the game went on, the better we got,” said the Leeds coach Brian McDermott, whose side moved up to third following Hull’s defeat to Leigh. “We need to take a lot of credit for the second half, I’m really pleased.”

Warrington, who remain in the top eight, had started to piece their season together of late but this felt like a major step backwards. They actually dominated possession early in the contest but came away with nothing to show for it – and Leeds ultimately made them pay.

By half-time the Rhinos were 12-0 ahead when tries from Parcell – who finished with a hat-trick – and Liam Sutcliffe put Leeds in control. Any suggestion of a Warrington fightback was quelled with Parcell’s second shortly after the break, and from there, Leeds began to cut loose.

There were four more tries – including the one which completed Parcell’s hat-trick late on. B ut when Burrow broke through to score Leeds’ seventh and final try, Stefan Ratchford lay crestfallen on the floor. It was a moment which succinctly summed up just how far apart these two teams are as the regular season rolls on.

Leeds Golding; Briscoe, Watkins, Sutcliffe, Hall; McGuire, Moon; Singleton, Parcell, Cuthbertson, Ferres, Ward, Jones-Buchanan. Interchange Burrow, Baldwinson, Delaney, Mullally.

Warrington Ratchford; Russell, Hughes, Atkins, Lineham; Brown, Gidley; Hill, Clark, Sims, Jullien, Westerman, Cooper.

Interchange Crosby, King, Patton, Philbin.

Referee J Child.