Maika Sivo has scored his fifth hat-trick of the Super League season, and the numbers behind his latest feat tell a story of dominance. The Fiji international crossed for three tries to bring his 2026 tally to 25 — nine clear of the next best finisher, Leigh's Josh Charnley, who has 16. When Leeds Rhinos visited Warrington Wolves at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday, they left with a commanding 34-6 victory that sent them clear at the top of the Super League table, two points ahead of their hosts, who suffered their first home defeat of the season.
The result might have looked like a mismatch on paper, but the scoreline told the truth of it. "We had a tough night and they made us pay," said Warrington head coach Sam Burgess. "We looked like a young team against a very experienced team but I'm relaxed about that." His counterpart at Leeds, Brad Arthur, was more buoyant, praising a performance that reflected months of focused work. "I like the fact that the team is becoming very reliable. The boys can look around the dressing sheds and know what they are going to get which is a big thing to build a bit of belief."
What made the victory particularly sweet was the manner of it. Leeds were dominant with and without the ball, their structure evident from the opening whistle. When Ewan Irwin kicked an early goal for Warrington, it briefly suggested a close contest. Then Sivo intervened. Two tries in two minutes — including one where he powered past Josh Thewlis with visible force — blew the game open. By half-time, Jake Connor's conversions had stretched the lead to 16-2, and the outcome was effectively settled.
Arthur reserved special praise for his star winger, noting the physical transformation that has underpinned his season. "He has worked really hard on his weight — keeping it manageable around the 109 kilos mark," Arthur said. "He hasn't got an ounce of fat on him but he is a big man and the leaner he can be, the more we can get out of him." Sivo, it seems, has been working as hard off the field as he plays on it.
There were other contributors too. Lachie Miller, returning after a three-match suspension, pulled the strings at full-back with an assured display, while Brodie Croft — who will join Warrington on a three-year deal next season — showed his quality before heading to new colours. For Leeds, this was a night to savour: a statement win, a star in imperious form, and a reminder that the top of the table is where they belong.