AMT Headingley's wait for knockout Rugby League comes to an end this week as Leeds Rhinos host St Helens for a place in this year's Betfred Super League semi-final on Saturday evening, kick off 8pm.

After 27 gruelling rounds of action, the Rhinos' impressive 18-win season saw Brad Arthur's side book a home play-off match against a St Helens side, who have an extensive history against Leeds in the post-season. The matchup ends an eight-year wait for Leeds to host Play Off action, as the club looks to rekindle memories of 2017's semi-final win over Hull FC.

Take a look back at our history in the play offs: 

Play-Off Form in Super League

Played: 43

Won: 24

Lost: 19

Highest Score: 44-8 Vs Hull KR (2009)

Leeds are back in the Play Off picture for the first time in three years as the Rhinos look to add to their 43 total Play Off appearances in Super League history. 

From 1997 to 2022, the club was a regular name amongst the sides looking to complete the road to Old Trafford, as they only missed the post-season play-offs three times during those 25 years. Out of those 43 matches (excluding Grand Finals) against 12 different opponents, Leeds have come away victorious on 24 occasions as they've progressed to the Grand Final stage eleven times. Starting in 1997 with a win over Oldham at AMT Headingley, the Rhinos struggled to find form during the early years of the Super League Play Offs as they only won four out of nine games between 1997 and 2000. After falling short of the 1997 Grand Final at the hands of Wigan, Leeds bounced back from another loss to the Cherry and Whites in 1998 to beat St Helens to book their spot in that year's finale. Despite a third-place finish in 1999, Graham Murray's side lost out to both St Helens and Castleford Tigers and also lost out to Bradford to miss out on the 2000 Grand Final.

2004 proved to be the catalyst for Leeds' success in the post-season as the club won 13 out of 17 play off matches between Grand Final wins in 2004 and 2012. Bouncing back from a loss at home to Bradford, the Rhinos beat Wigan to win their first Super League title, and also secured back-to-back Play Off wins for the first time when they beat St Helens 19-16 at Knowsley Road to progress to the 2005 final. Two other notable spells of success also came between 2008 and 2010 when the club went undefeated in the Play Offs on their way to two Grand Final appearances, as well as a six-match unbeaten spell in 2011 and 2012 when the club booked their Old Trafford place twice from fifth place in the table.

More recent Play Off matches have seen the club head on the road for their last five clashes. Starting in 2020, Warrington hosted the behind-closed-doors matchup between Leeds and Catalans that saw the Dragons win 26-14, before 2021 saw the Rhinos beat Wigan in a tight 8-0 result at The Brick Community Stadium and lose out to eventual Champions St Helens 36-8 during the 2021 campaign. 2022's Play Offs were also spent away from AMT Headingley, where the Rhinos knocked out Catalans and Wigan on the road to an Old Trafford appearance, but now the action returns to AMT Headingley for the first time in eight years.

Play Off Form at AMT Headingley

Played: 21

Won: 15

Lost: 6

Since the Rhinos first appeared in the Super League Play Offs in 1997, eleven different teams have headed to AMT Headingley in the hope of keeping their Grand Final dreams alive. 

Including this week's opponents St Helens, Leeds have played host to Oldham (1997), Halifax (1998), Castleford (1999, 2000), Hull FC (2002, 2011, 2017), Wigan (2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010), Bradford (2004), Warrington (2006), Hull KR (2009), Catalans (2009, 2014) and Wakefield (2012) across 21 matches - Wigan visiting the most with five play off outings at AMT Headingley.

The switch to a summer schedule and the dawn of the Super League era in 1996 saw Leeds miss the first official play offs campaign with a tenth-placed finish, but they responded by making the top six over the next four seasons. 1998 in particular saw the club beat both Halifax and St Helens in front of AMT Headingley crowds of over 10,000 on their way to a debut Grand Final appearance.

The new millennium brought more Play Off action to the stadium as AMT Headingley only missed out on hosting a Play Off game in 2001 and 2005 across a 15-year spell. The Rhinos utilised home advantage too as they only lost five times during the same spell, which kicked off with a 22-14 win over Castleford in 2000. When the club ended their wait for a championship in 2004, two games were played at AMT Headingley on the road to Old Trafford, including a huge 40-12 triumph over Wigan led by a hat trick from PNG international winger Marcus Bai, plus the Rhinos made sure to play a knockout game at home on their way to seven more Grand Final wins.

After losing out to Warrington by a drop goal in 2006, Leeds came roaring back to defeat Wigan in the semi-finals in 2007 and 2008 as Tony Smith's side won a convincing contest 36-6 before Brian McClennan ensured he got the team to a Grand Final in his debut season as the Rhinos saw off the Warriors 18-14 in 2008. 2009 saw McClennan achieve more success as Leeds played both of their play off games against Hull KR and Catalans Dragons at home before progressing to Old Trafford, where they became the first team to win three Grand Finals in a row.

After Wigan broke Leeds' winning run in 2010, the Rhinos responded by winning five of their last six home knockout games up until 2017's semi-final win over Hull FC. Hull fell victim to Brian McDermott's Leeds side, who opened the 2011 play-offs with a 42-10 win on their way to winning the competition from fifth, and a year later the club repeated the feat as they saw off Wakefield 42-20. Two wins over St Helens in 2013 and 2015 sandwiched a surprise defeat to Catalans in 2014, before the club made another Old Trafford return thanks to a tight 18-16 win over the Black and Whites eight years ago.

AMT Headingley Play Off Results (excl. St Helens matches)

1997 - Won 42-16 vs Oldham

1998 - Won 13-6 vs Halifax

1999 - Lost 16-23 vs Castleford Tigers

2000 - Won 22-14 vs Castleford Tigers

2002 - Won 36-22 vs Hull FC

2003 - Lost 22-23 vs Wigan Warriors 

2004 - Lost 12-26 vs Bradford Bulls

2004 - Won 40-12 vs Wigan Warriors

2006 - Lost 17-18 vs Warrington Wolves

2007 - Won 36-8 vs Wigan Warriors

2008 - Won 18-14 vs Wigan Warriors

2009 - Won 44-8 vs Hull KR

2009 - Won 27-20 vs Catalans Dragons

2010 - Lost 6-26 Wigan Warriors

2011 - Won 42-10 vs Hull FC

2012 - Won 42-20 vs Wakefield Trinity

2014 - Lost 20-24 vs Catalans Dragons

2017 - Won 18-16 vs Hull FC

Play Off Form vs St Helens

Played: 9

Won: 4

Lost: 5

2025 sees the tenth instalment of the Leeds and St Helens Play Off rivalry play out as the sides meet for the first time in the knockout rounds since 2021.

More suited for the Grand Final stage, where the clubs have met five times in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2022, Leeds and Saints have played out some entertaining matches in the early rounds of the play offs since 1998, when the Rhinos progressed to the finale with a 44-16 result on home turf. Amongst seven tries for Graham Murray's side, Francis Cummins' hat trick will live long in the memory as the winger helped take the club back to the Championship final for the first time since 1973.

A year later, it was Saints who came out on top on their way to Grand Final glory as the Red Vee began a run of Play Off wins that saw them beat Leeds four times in five meetings between 199 and 2008. Notably, the club beat the Rhinos at Knowsley Road in the qualifying finals of the 2007 and 2008 seasons, but when the rematch took place on the Old Trafford stage, it was Leeds who came out on top on both occasions.

AMT Headingley played host to the next two matchups as Leeds came away victorious. A Danny McGuire drop goal proved the difference in 2013 as the half-back's one-pointer saw Leeds keep their Grand Final retention hopes alive, only for them to lose to Wigan the following week. 2015's semi-final was also played at the home of the Rhinos, and that result went the way of Brian McDermott's side as they completed the historic treble.

After a six-year wait, fans were treated to another Leeds vs Saints play-off decider in 2021 as both sides hoped for a spot in the Grand Final. It was a largely forgettable night for Rhinos fans as they succumbed to a 36-8 defeat whilst St Helens went on to become eventual champions.

Rhinos vs St Helens Play Off Matchups

1998 - Rhinos 44 Saints 16 (Semi Finals, AMT Headingley)

1999 - Saints 38 Rhinos 14 (Qualifying Play Off, Knowsley Road)

2001 - Saints 38 Rhinos 30 (Elimination Semi Final, Knowsley Road)

2005 - Saints 16 Rhinos 19 (Qualifying Semi Final, Knowsley Road)

2007 - Saints 10 Rhinos 8 (Qualifying Semi Final, Knowsley Road)

2008 - Saints 38 Rhinos 10 (Qualifying Semi Final, Knowsley Road)

2013 - Rhinos 11 Saints 10 (Elimination Semi Final, AMT Headingley)

2015 - Rhinos 20 Saints 13 (Semi Finals, AMT Headingley)

2021 - Saints 36 Rhinos 8 (Semi Finals, Totally Wicked Stadium)

Get your Play Off tickets now!

Tickets for the game are on sale now via tickets.therhinos.co.uk or over the phone on 0371 423 1315.  Please note this game is not included as part of 2025 Season Memberships but 2025 Season, Flexi and Supporter Members will receive a £5 discount on their own match ticket. This is available until midnight on Friday 26th September. After midnight on Friday 26th September all tickets will be at the match day price. 

For prices and more information, CLICK HERE