Leeds Rhinos secured a convincing 42-12 win against the Bradford Bulls, moving two points clear at the summit of the Super League, but the celebration was dampened by a worrying injury to their star Fijian winger, Maika Sivo. The 32‑year‑old appeared to suffer a broken forearm during the match, an incident that could derail his chase of the single‑season try‑scoring record. Coach Brad Arthur confirmed after the game that Sivo's forearm would likely require surgical plating and that the former Parramatta Eels forward could be out of action for roughly six weeks. If the prognosis holds, Sivo will miss a substantial chunk of the remainder of the regular season, though Arthur remains optimistic that the winger could return before the campaign concludes.
At the time of the injury, Sivo was perched on 29 tries for the season, just 11 short of the all‑time Super League benchmark of 40 set by Castleford’s Denny Solomona in 2016. The Fijian’s prolific scoring has been a cornerstone of Leeds’ attacking firepower, and his absence creates a palpable void in the Rhinos’ backline. The injury occurred in the midst of a dominant performance at Headingley, where Leeds rattled off seven tries.
Sivo was involved in a tackle that went awry, leading to the suspected fracture. Despite the setback, the team continued to press, with James McDonnell marking his 100th Super League appearance by crossing the line twice.
Fellow contributors Jarrod O'Connor, Tom Holroyd, Brodie Croft, Cooper Jenkins and Kallum Watkins each added a try, underscoring the depth of Leeds’ attacking options. Bradford, on the other hand, endured their sixth loss in seven top‑flight encounters. They briefly took the lead when Guy Armitage expertly collected a Chris Atkin kick and grounded the ball for a try.
Leeds responded swiftly through McDonnell, who capitalised on a defensive lapse, showing that the Rhinos would not be rattled by Sivo’s misfortune. A controversial moment saw Jake Connor have a try disallowed for a double movement, but he quickly set up a second score for McDonnell.
O'Connor then extended the halftime advantage to 18‑6, a lead that would prove decisive. The second half saw Bradford attempt a comeback when Ethan Ryan claimed a high ball and linked up with Atkin to deliver a cross that resulted in a try. However, Leeds re‑asserted control when Tom Holroyd powered over after a massive 40‑20 kick from Connor, who also successfully converted all seven of Leeds’ tries.
This flawless conversion record lifted Leeds to 32 points after 20 games, placing them two points ahead of both Wakefield Trinity and Wigan Warriors. Bradford now sit 12th on the table with 12 points, comfortably ahead of Hull FC and a comfortable margin above the league’s basement dwellers, Huddersfield Giants. Looking ahead, the Rhinos will need to manage Sivo’s recovery carefully. Modern sports medicine suggests that a plated forearm can heal within six to eight weeks, but the timeline can be influenced by the severity of the fracture, the player’s rehabilitation regimen, and the physical demands of rugby league.
Leeds’ coaching staff will likely monitor his progress through regular imaging and physiotherapy, aiming to bring him back to match fitness without risking re‑injury. In the broader context of the try‑scoring race, Sivo’s injury adds intrigue. Should he miss enough games to fall short of Solomona’s 40‑try mark, the record will remain untouched for another season. However, his current strike rate suggests that if he returns to form and stays injury‑free for the remainder of the season, he could still close the gap, especially given Leeds’ potent attacking structure that consistently creates scoring opportunities.
Fans and analysts will be watching closely as the Rhinos navigate the upcoming fixtures, balancing the need for points with the management of key personnel. The club’s depth, highlighted by the contributions from O'Connor, Holroyd, Croft, Jenkins and Watkins, provides a buffer, but the loss of a player of Sivo’s caliber inevitably impacts the team’s dynamics. For those following the Super League, Sky Sports continues to broadcast every match live this season, offering exclusive live coverage of two games per round and additional highlights across the Sky Sports+ platform. The league’s standings are updated weekly, and the latest table reflects Leeds’ current dominance at the top of the competition.