Rhinos rule in the rain as Leeds win back to back titles

Daniel Anderson said after St Helens's 24-16 Grand Final defeat that he was looking forward to reacquainting himself in Sydney with "a big yellow ball in the sky, I've forgotten its name." Sunshine, pah. Leeds love the rain, singing in it, playing in it, winning in it. They revelled in a storm against Melbourne in the World Club Challenge in February and were delirious in Saturday night's downpour at Old Trafford - two saturated but conquered peaks in nine months. What a season for the tactically astute Rhinos and their Rainmeister, coach Brian McClennan.

A margin of eight points but this was a thrashing, a tactical triumph and a glorious vindication of Leeds's mental toughness to recover from their mauling by Saints in the qualifying semi-final two weeks earlier. Character produced Leeds' third Grand Final success in five years and back to back titles for the first time in the club's history. They neutralised Saints in shutting Sean Long and Leon Pryce out of the game. The great Keiron Cunningham, like his team, was not at the races. Saints' normally slick attacking works were all gummed up.

The Leeds pack were on top from the off, Kevin Sinfield's kicking game was deadly, Danny McGuire swooped for the two killer tries and man of the match Lee Smith was little short of extraordinary filling the void at full back left by Brent Webb's back injury in the week. His 40/20 - Leeds's first of the entire year - led to McGuire's first try and was the turning point. Young Ryan Hall stepped in on the wing and shocked McClennan with his crucial try before the break - he'd never seen him kick a ball before. And then there was the mighty Jamie Peacock with his unprecedented fifth gold winner's ring - four fingers and a thumb's worth.

When Anderson lost it with his team in the dressing room at half time - Ian Millward style but with a touch of Joe Kinnear thrown in -  it only served to expose Saints' vulnerability. A lip reader would have blushed. "[I was] really going at it. I probably can't itemise the words I used. I didn't think we were honest with our capabilities in the first half. We didn't play anywhere near the standards we set, so we were having a chat, or I was doing a soliloquy."

Leeds emerged from their traps like hares back in February and they were always going to slow up at some point during the season, but the race between the leaders is about timing the last sprint and the Rhinos took their rivals on the bend with a Usain Bolt charge.

On a night when a brolly-wielding Shaun McRae's walk and talk to camera - a masterful bit of co-ordination in the wet - overshadowed, for me at least, the pre-match performance at the same time of Scouting for Girls (a band I mistakenly thought would be girls) and the rain dripped off the delectible Katherine Jenkins's nose, McClennan was my star.

He'd got up at 6am in New Zealand to watch Leeds thrash Saints in the 2007 Grand Final and later chatted with skipper Sinfield. "I knew as soon as I got off the phone that we'd struck a chord. I thought. 'gee, this is going to be a blast'."

What a year for "Bluey". I'd tipped Saints on the eve of the match. Oh me of little faith, although a phone call as I picked my way through the fog back over the Pennines reminded me that in the engage media tipsters challenge way back at the start of the year, I'd gone for Leeds to beat St Helens at Old Trafford - by a margin of eight points. A nice little earner. Thanks Leeds, thanks Brian. You're right, it was a blast. PICTURES BY ANDREW VARLEY AGENCY

Unlike St Helens, Manly reversed the result in last year's NRL Grand Final in astonishing fashion. Their 40-0 massacre of Melbourne in Sydney on Sunday was the biggest in Australian final history, eclipsing Eastern Suburbs' 38-0 win over St George in 1975.  It was the first time since 1978 that a team had failed to score a point in a Grand Final and provided Manly veteran Steve Menzies with an entirely fitting farewell and with a try to boot. The unsung hero for Manly was unfashionable winger Michael Robertson, who crossed for a hat-trick. Leeds v Manly in 2009, bring it on.

From Monday Times, read Leeds Rhinos stampede farewell party here and Lee Smith fills Superman's boots here.

Comments

[Mel Reuben]

Great article Chris.
Great night for the Rhinos. One week later and I still have a sore throat. My magic moment was when "Bluey" came in to the OT South Stand after all the presentations and hugged his father. That was a moment to treasure,priceless.

[Mo]

No argument bout result Sat. Well done Rhinos you played the right game in the conditions and deserved to win. Still good season for us. As Leeds proved, one bad performance does not a bad team make!!!!! 2 out of 3 again for Saints and 3 out of 5 wins over Rhinos (semi final win in there somewhere methinks!!!). Some satisfaction there and how other clubs would love to be able to say that. Only 2 teams have any silverware again and it is the same two so other clubs still trying to catch the 2 most consistent teams.
Love principle of play offs and GF but reward for consistency over long season is minimalist in comparison to getting it right on one night. Said this before the RFL introduced the League Leaders Shield as Bradford had won league and had nowt to show for it. Must keep play offs and GF but winning league should count for more. Any ideas anyone?
Mo
PS Rhinos - make sure you stuff the Aussies again

[jeff molyneux]

Obviously Leeds were the better team on the night. On what we all knew was going to be a rainy sodden night ...as a Saints fan I predicted a Leeds win. The win highlighted one flaw in Saints make up. This is the lack of aggression of our forwards. There is no mean streak...nobody to give any biff. The very limited Ablett was giving it to all the Saints forwards and nobody gave it back. It strikes me that Leeds were lucky as well. The flukey 40/20 that managed to bounce 90 degrees to the touchline even in wet conditions was a turning point. Ryan Hall kicked the ball all along the try line, just for Lee Smith to pick it up.
One more point..... The Leeds fans we met in the hotel afterwards gloated from 8pm to midnight ...and the next day.
When Leeds have won as many
trophies as Saints...they have to learn some humility.We're quite good at praising the beaten team. They've got a lot to learn!

[Kat Saints Lover]

I'm here Mike - missing me? lol or just wanting an opportunity to gloat?

First opportunity i've had to get on line since Saturday! Was a good game just a shame the result wasn't what i wanted! Leeds played well and kept our key players quiet. As i was sat in the east stand i am now deaf from all the Leeds chanting/singing/cheering! Hopefully with more young players coming through and a new coach next season we can make old trafford and win next year!

Chris, this has been a great blog looking forward to readin it next season - after the WC of course!

[harry sunderland]

ee naw then alreet ist nice of them to name man ot match trophy after me good on yers and nice one greta final loved it see yer next year wit tigers

see thee

H S

[mike hunt]

go go go rhinos yers just got up after a great session at the skyrack come on you rhinos we are he best saints suck on that hope you manage to create a bit of magic through potter next year and give us some competition ha ha slurp slurp see ya next year chris great blog loved it where are you kat sints lover?

[arthur snott]

Good luck in aussie anderson (Not) you are that good they are falling over to employ you ha ha you inherited a good ageing team its gone as far as it can, you could not raise em for this end of.... see ya

[Frank Fish]

Ron, I've lip read Anderson's rant and its quite Kinnear-esque. Didn't he get the Saints job because Millward swore too much ?

[Ron Rosenhead]

Chris, great great piece.

I have been fortunate to see ALL of Leeds's 6 titles and number 6 was without doubt the best!

Well done to the team and Saints as well; they contributed to a superb game.

I'm going to get my wife to translate what Daniel Anderson said!

[Frank Fish]

Spot on Chris. Great Leeds performance. They're wet weather giants and steamrollered Saints up front. Yeah Saints won the cup but 2008 is the Year of the Rhinos.