England international Josh Butler crowned an excellent week, in which he was one of the nominees for the 2023 Wheels of Steel award, with a five try haul that saw Leeds head for Manchester on 15 October and the Betfred Wheelchair Grand Final, where they will play either London Roosters or Wigan Warriors who meet in the capital next weekend.
In the biggest club rivalry in the sport and a repeat of last year’s decider, the Rhinos’ first half performance, in which they kept the Panthers try-less, was the platform for victory.
Both sides began unchanged from their league clash the week before – Tom Halliwell recovering from a shoulder injury – and he was at his mercurial in the opening forty.
The kick off was delayed by a quarter of an hour due to the match official being stuck in traffic, but Leeds dominated the initial exchanges, despite going behind to a Rob Hawkins penalty – on a night when he kicked eight from eight and added three tries – after a try saver on Seb Bechara.
Halliwell and Butler instantly struck up a devastating partnership, Wayne Boardman penalised for a ball steal and the pair setting up Leeds skipper Jodie Boyd-Ward for the opening try.
Bechara was penalised for playing the ball without a tag and Halliwell’s superb reverse pass sent Butler over for his first score of an opening half hat trick.
A powerplay on the last brought Butler his second after superb interplay between Nathan Collins and Halliwell, the England skipper then intercepting Bechara’s pass to add to mounting ‘Fax frustration.
Rhinos’ goal line defence was impregnable, Jeremy Bourson only finding touch with his pass and when Collins won a penalty for a shirt tug as he broke clear, Halliwell’s dummy brought him a hugely deserved touchdown.
Leeds went back-to-back, Halliwell sending Butler shimmying over and when Boardman went high, Collins kicked his fifth goal of the half to make it 30-2 at the break, the hosts successfully defending three sets of six as it ended.
Halifax were penalised for a push on old boy Nathan Mulhall at the start of the second period and were made to pay on the last when Halliwell’s reverse pass sent in Butler again.
The visitors scored with their first flowing move, Bourson, Bechara and Tom Martin linking to send Hawkins over and, in the next set, a brilliantly disguised chip from Bechara put Bourson over.
Leeds regathered the restart and Halliwell and Butler sent Nathan Collins across in the corner for a try to go with his nine goals.
Bechara’s strong run set the position for Hawkins to claim his second, again from Martin’s pass but Halliwell and Collins sent in Boyd-Ward for her second out wide in instant reply.
Collins added a penalty as Boyd-Ward looked to be in for her third, this time the Panthers snaffling their kick off and Bechara putting in Bourson.
With Halliwell off nursing shoulder and elbow injuries, Ewan Clibbens set up Butler for his fifth, Boardman replying and when Bourson claimed his treble with his reach and strength and Hawkins landed the touchline goal, there were only 14 points between the sides.
Collins kicked another penalty as the clock would down with just enough time for Hawkins to complete his hat trick.
“We built this up all week and said it was a final before the final,” said Butler, “We knew it would go down to the wire and we had to make sure we had enough left in the tank.
“When we played them at Magic in Manchester, it was very similar, we had a good first half and then they started to come back and we just tried to stop that, we stuck at it for each other.”
Butler added of Halliwell’s performance: “It helps that we are cousins, we seem to instinctively know where each other are, his honours keep coming and I just hope I can follow on from him.
“I don’t have a preference who we play in the decider, both teams have different dynamics but, whoever gets through, we know we will have to give them our utmost respect.”
GAME BREAKER – The Rhinos’ first half display, not conceding a try and wracking up 30 points was the platform for victory.
GAME STAR – For the hour he was on, Tom Halliwell dominated but Josh Butler’s five tries proved to be the ultimate difference.
RHINOS
1 Nathan Collins
3 Josh Butler
4 Nathan Mulhall
7 Tom Halliwell
10 Jodie Boyd-Ward (C)
Sub
6 Ewan Clibbens
(Not used)
8 Paul Horrobin
9 Verity Smith
Tries: Boyd-Ward (6, 59), Butler (11, 16, 27, 42, 70), Halliwell (25), Collins (49)
Goals: Collins 9/12
PANTHERS
1 Wayne Boardman (C)
2 Rob Hawkins
4 Seb Bechara
9 Nathan Holmes
18 Jeremy Bourson
Subs
11 Keiron Johnson
12 Tom Martin
8 Jordan Holt
(Not used)
16 Thomas Green
3 Nathaniel Wright
Tries: Hawkins (45, 54, 79), Bourson (48, 68, 74), Boardman (72)
Goals: Hawkins 8/8
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match:
RHINOS – Josh Butler
PANTHERS – Rob Hawkins
Penalty count: 11-8
GLDO: 4-3
Half time: 30-2
Referee: Matt Ball
Scoring sequence: 0-2, 4-2, 10-2, 16-2, 22-2, 28-2, 30-2, 36-2, 36-8, 36-14, 40-14, 40-20, 44-20, 46-20, 46-26, 52-26, 52-32, 52-38, 54-38, 54-44