A review of Boxing Day's pre-season friendly action, including a win for Super League champions Leeds Rhinos.
Super League champions Leeds Rhinos began their new season with a 17-10 friendly victory over Wakefield Trinity on Boxing Day.
The teams’ traditional season curtain-raiser at Belle Vue saw six of the Rhinos’ Grand Final-winning squad involved, while new boys Richie Myler and Brad Dwyer made their debuts.
Brad Singleton’s opening try was followed by one for Ben Jones-Bishop against his old club but the hosts trailed 6-4 at the interval having failed to convert.
Jack Ormondroyd extended Leeds’ lead after the break before Mikolaj Oledzki gave then a comfortable cushion.
Joe Arundel cut the deficit to six points and had another chance only to be denied by Ashton Golding’s last-ditch tackle.
Jordan Lilley then made the game safe for the Rhinos, a late drop goal ensuring they would not be caught.
Meanwhile, Castleford Tigers, the team Leeds beat in October’s Grand Final, were beaten at home by local rivals Featherstone.
Rovers won 32-16 at The Jungle where the hosts fielded an inexperienced team and so were perhaps not surprised to find themselves on the wrong end of the result.
Jamie Ellis scored two ties for Cas, while Tuoyo Egodo also crossed the whitewash.
Featherstone’s tryscorers were Scott Wheeldon (2), Luke Briscoe, Gareth Gale, Connor Farrell and Josh Hardcastle.
In Sky Bet's Super League regular season betting - a market settled after the first 23 games - Castleford are 9/2 co-favourites alongside St Helens and Wigan. Leeds come next at 11/2.
In the Grand Final market, Leeds are only fifth favourites at 6/1. Castleford are third in the market at 9/2. The list is led by Wigan at 7/2.
