Brian McDermott hails Leeds defence in win over St Helens

Leeds head coach Brian McDermott praised his players for putting their bodies on the line in an entertaining 30-18 victory over St Helens.

Friday's match will be remembered for the care-free attacking attitude of both sides but McDermott felt it was the Rhinos' last-ditch efforts in defence that won them two crucial Super League points.

"It was a crazy game," McDermott said. "It was end-to-end stuff - a bit too fast.

"Some passages both coaches would be unhappy with but then there were some passages both coaches would be pleased with, I certainly was anyway.

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"There were some defensive efforts and try-savers which were probably created from initial loose defence, but then we end up saving the try which kept us in the game."

Leeds raced into a 16-0 lead inside 11 minutes through tries from Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Adam Cuthbertson and Liam Sutcliffe.

But Saints came storming back and turned the game on its head as Kyle Amor, Luke Walsh and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook all crossed.

Carl Ablett edged the Rhinos back ahead just before the half-time hooter and although the teams continued to throw the ball around in the second half, Ash Handley scored the only try and Sutcliffe added a penalty to secure only a second win of the season for the defending champions.

"There was some looseness there in the second half, as a result of tired bodies more than anything," McDermott added.

"Hally (Ryan Hall) came off at half-time, we lost Brett Delaney midway through that second half and we've had a lot of blokes go through some stress and some heavy games recently, but I didn't think we showed too much of that; I thought we showed some decent energy.

"A lot of people put their body where it hurt for the team.

"I thought Carl Ablett, who played 80 minutes after being out for so long with an ankle injury, is just an outstanding player for us. Keith Galloway had probably his best game for us so far and Liam Sutcliffe managed that game really well."

The victory moved Leeds to within four points of fourth-placed St Helens but McDermott will be without Hall for up to six weeks after he picked up a leg injury, while Delaney suffered a concussion.

Saints head coach Keiron Cunningham, meanwhile, was left to rue a slow start which mirrored last year's corresponding fixture, when the Rhinos raced into an 18-0 lead.

"We don't seem to get off the bus for the first 10 to 15 minutes when we come to Leeds," he said.

"We seem to want to give one of the best sides in the comp a leg up.

"Sixteen points is tough to chase down anywhere, especially at Headingley.

"The game was really scrappy and really open in that first half. It was whichever side took a grip of the game and kicked the ball best that was going to win it, and we just decided we didn't want to do that."