The Bulls were only ever one top-notch performance away from re-establishing themselves in the race for Grand Final glory and produced one right on cue to re-ignite hopes of completing their dream double.

You had to feel sympathy for the way they were pipped by St Helens last week, but in truth their display was still well short of the heights they reached in the first half of the season.

However, departing coach Matthew Elliott got it spot-on when he commented: "I've got my team back. It was nice to see them play how they enjoy playing.

"I was very proud to be involved with that performance. I think we got the balance right between going forward and moving the ball, and when we get both our offence and our defence right we are a very, very hard team to cope with."

Of course, there will be talk that Leeds just weren't up for it after all that had gone on in the courts earlier in the week, and in truth they never got going.

Big names like Adrian Morley, Daryl Powell and David Barnhill were surely not lacking in motivation in their last season at Headingley but with the Bulls in this mood Leeds aren't the only side around who wouldn't have been able to cope.

Shell-shocked Rhinos coach Dean Lance confessed: "They did a 'Bradford Bulls' on us. They overpowered us through their forwards. They were very good and we were a bit below par.

"But I can tell you there is no lack of unity at Leeds. Wigan let in 50 points on Friday night and no one seems to be suggesting a lack of unity there."

The Bulls certainly appeared to get the tactics right with the tone being set in a near faultless opening 20 minutes during which they built up a 14-0 advantage.

And it was again Henry Paul who showed his liking for the big occasion with a high quality showing packed with committed defence and excellent handling skills.

A commendable six-from-eight goal-kicking effort to break the club record of 173 goals in a season, and a second half try gave him a match haul of 16 points.

It was the Kiwi stand-off's diagonal bomb which got the ball rolling as early as the third minute.

The high ball was used at Murrayfield to successfully unsettle Leroy Rivett and his replacement Graham Mackay coped no better as Leon Pryce easily out-jumped him to touchdown.

A Henry Paul penalty goal was then followed by a bullocking Paul Anderson try off a well-timed James Lowes pass and the Bulls were well on their way.

There was a rare slip on the night as the Bulls squandered possession deep in their own half and Andy Hay somehow slipped through under the posts.

But two tries either side of the break put the Rhinos firmly back in their place.

First Henry Paul brought Stuart Fielden on to the ball and the young prop roared in from 20 metres before the best try of the night finally killed off any lingering Rhinos hopes six minutes after the re-start.

Stuart Spruce and Brad Mackay linked up well to start the move and the increasingly influential Lowes sliced through before handing Pryce his second of the night with a fine pass in the tackle.

Another great raid, again involving Mackay and Lowes, then saw Henry Paul stretch out to score and it was all going the Bulls way now as the next two tries illustrated.

Substitute David Boyle was the first beneficiary after Karl Pratt fluffed Lowes grubber kick and then Robbie Paul got the nod from the video referee after Paul Sterling stripped away possession and the Bulls skipper pounced on the loose ball as it dropped invitingly over the line.

All the party pieces were being displayed at that stage and other tries could easily have followed but they had to be content with Pryce's hat-trick effort which he made look incredibly easy as he gathered Paul Deacon's high kick from the grasp of Sterling.

Former Bradford and Bingley RU winger Sterling did snatch a last minute consolation try but buy that stage there were very few left on the visitors' Rooley Lane terrace to witness it.

The Bulls had done the business on their arch rivals conclusively and there were deeply encouraging signs of them coming to the boil at just the right time.

Henry Paul took the man of the match award for his superb 60 minute contribution but there were several other strong contenders notably Pryce, whose really starting to strut around again, and Fielden who will surely start for England against the Aussies at the end of the month if he maintains this powerhouse form.

A trip to an angry Wigan outfit next Saturday for a place in the Grand Final against Saints will be no cakewalk but if ever there was a performance to set them up for it this was it.