Leeds Rhinos (6) 20
Tries: Smith 2, Delaney, Sinfield Goal: Sinfield 2
Bradford Bulls (16) 20
Tries: Nero 2, Halley, Menzies Goals: Orford 2
Lee Smith made a fairytale return as champions Leeds staged a dramatic second-half fightback at Headingley to hold West Yorkshire rivals Bradford.
Leeds, 16-6 down at half-time, looked set for a fourth straight defeat when Chris Nero scored his second try for the Bulls 12 minutes after the break.
But Leeds hit back with three tries in 10 minutes through Brett Delaney, fit-again Kevin Sinfield and Smith.
It was Smith's second try in his first game back since switching codes again.
The 23-year-old England international had signed off from his first spell with his home-town club last October with two tries in their third successive Grand Final triumph.
He had only returned to Leeds from his abortive move into rugby union with Wasps the previous day, but he did not take long to make April fools of anyone who suspected that he might have lost his cutting edge in union.
It was Bradford who took the early initiative as they stunned Leeds with three tries in the first 21 minutes, Nero's first effort being followed by scores from Dave Halley and Steve Menzies.
But, with Smith back and Sinfield fit for the first time in a month since injuring his thigh in the World Club Challenge defeat to Melbourne, Leeds at last showed the character of champions to claim a deserved share of the spoils.
There was little sign of the drama to come when veteran Bulls scrum-half Matt Orford orchestrated his side's early lead.
First, he sent the long-striding Nero through a gap on three minutes before combining with Heath L'Estrange and Paul Sykes to get Halley over at the corner.
Orford added one conversion, increasing his side's lead to 12-0 when Leeds full-back Brent Webb was penalised for an incorrect play-the-ball.
It then got even worse for the champions when loose forward Menzies took another crisp Orford pass to stretch out for a third Bradford try.
But Smith responded, taking a long pass from Danny McGuire to go over on 36 minutes and give his side hope.
That ought to have boosted Leeds' confidence but their passing and timing was still awry after the resumption, and Nero wrong-footed Delaney to extend the visitors' lead.
Crucially, as it turned out, Orford was off target for the third time with the goalkick, but things were still not going Leeds' way when centre Keith Senior was held up in what had a looked a certain score.
And the home side then suffered a further blow when hooker Danny Buderus was sin-binned on 57 minutes for holding down Brett Kearney in the tackle.
But the Rhinos pulled a try back while down to 12 men, Webb's half-break creating the position for Delaney, and with Leeds now throwing caution to the wind, the Bulls defence opened up invitingly for Sinfield.
He added the goal to his own try, narrowing the gap to four points, and the two sides were level on 75 minutes when Smith chased McGuire's kick to the corner, scoring with a spectacular pick-up and dive.
But Sinfield failed with the touchline conversion and, after two scruffy attempts from both teams to snatch it with drop goals, the hooter brought a fair outcome to a gripping encounter.
Leeds Rhinos: Webb, Smith, Delaney, Senior, Hall, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Bailey, Kirke, Jones-Buchanan, Sinfield.
Replacements: Lauitiiti, Burgess, Buderus, Ambler.
Bradford Bulls: Kearney, Halley, Platt, Nero, Reardon, Sykes, Orford, Lynch, L'Estrange, Scruton, Whitehead, Langley, Menzies.
Replacements: Hall, Godwin, Kopczak, Donaldson.
Referee: Phil Bentham (Warrington).
Attendance: 17,244.
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