1921-1922
The team displayed brilliant form in their opening spell, the only defeat in the first nine League engagements being at Widnes. During this period several players made their first appearance in Leeds colours: A. Brown, Welsh International scrum half from Newport; F. A. Davage, J. Dixon and R. Boagey in the forwards.
It was therefore as League leaders that Leeds entertained Huddersfield at Headingley in the 1st Round of the Yorkshire Cup. The game, which was played at a rare pace, will no doubt be recalled as Stockwell?s match. He snapped up a loose ball in the first three minutes and rounded three opponents to score at the corner, and then again, shortly after the interval, he intercepted a pass from Wagstaff to score another of his sensational tries after a run over half the length of the field. Leeds won comfortably by 11 points to 2, and went on to reach the final stage of the competition with victories over Halifax and Bramley.
The other finalists were Dewsbury, and Thrum Hall was the venue. Harold Buck who had been transferred from Hunslet some three weeks earlier was ineligible, and Leeds were further handicapped through the absence of Stockwell and Trusler who were unfit. But the misfortunes of Leeds were of small moment compared to the tragedy which befell Dewsbury early in the game when Albert Jenkinson, the ex-Leeds player, sustained a fractured leg. The superior play of the Leeds backs was responsible for the victory which brought the Yorkshire Cup to Headingley for the first time, but many wondered how the game would have gone if Dewsbury had not been depleted, for the issue hung in the balance until six minutes before the close. The teams were: Leeds-Roberts; Walmsley, W. A. Davies, Bacon, W. H. Davies; Brittain, Brown; Gould, Hardaker, Godward, Boagey, Pearson, Ward. Dewsbury-Seddon; Bates, Rees, Catterall, Lyman; Jenkinson, Rogers; Craven, Dixon, Gallagher, Sharples, Birch, Leeke.
Four days later Bradford Northern were heavily defeated at Birch Lane, and we were apparently well set for a bid for the Championship, but then came five consecutive defeats at the hands of Huddersfield, Bramley, Warrington, and York (home and away). Although the players stopped the rot with a victory over Hunslet at Headingley on Boxing Day, and followed it up a day later with a splendid win over a strong Warrington team, defeats at Dewsbury, Hull and Huddersfield in January and February led to a consequent slide in the league table.
Unpredictable as ever, Leeds rose to the occasion in magnificent style at St. Helens in the 1st Round of the Northern Union Cup Competition and gained a fine win over the ?Recs? by 20 points to 5. Leeds held a five points lead at the interval but the furious onslaught of the ?Recs? forwards gave the Leeds defenders many anxious moments in the second half. Pyke reduced the deficit with a penalty kick, and then Owen scored an unconverted try at the corner to make the scores level.
There was a distinct prospect of a draw up to ten minutes from the final whistle at which stage Cracknell, who was playing his third game in Leeds colours, showed commendable determination in scoring under the posts. That try was the turning point and Leeds ran out comfortable winners by 20 points to 5.
Leeds went on to gain a fine victory at Craven Street, a victory which raised the intense ire of the Hull partisans who openly resented many decisions given by the Referee. The luck of the draw called for yet another trip, this time to Rochdale, and the clash with the Hornets brought back memories of that 2nd Round clash two years earlier when Stockwell won the match with his sensational try. On this occasion, however, Rochdale gained the initiative straight from the kick-off and had secured a lead of 13 points to nil before half-time. Leeds rallied in the second half but were unable to wipe out such a big deficit. Following this gallant exit from the Cup Competition the team made an all-out bid for a place in the coveted ?first-four,? but their chance of appearing in the League semi-finals were marred by defeats at the hands of Rochdale Hornets, Wakefield Trinity and Wigan.
There was still a faint chance when Bramley came to Headingley for the last match of the season, but the narrow Leeds victory was of no avail as Hull made no slip at Warrington and thus gained fourth place to the exclusion of Leeds. There were two other items of interest: Australia had to struggle hard to beat a full strength Leeds team by 11 points to 5; and Stockwell gained a place amongst the immortals with a brilliant try at Headingley in the Test match, a try which Leeds followers still recall with admiration to this day, a try which came from a pass given by the illustrious Jim Bacon.
Other signings during the season included: W. Anderson, winger; W. E. Lyons, winger, from Cross Keys; C. Arandle, forward. In addition three players who had graduated from the ?A? Team were to give valuable service: J. Roberts, half-back; G. Kibbler, forward; and J. Woolmore, half-back, who was to prove a good utility man over several seasons.
It is also interesting to note that the Leeds agents were recommending a player by the now famous name of Billo Rees who, it was suggested, would come North for ?400. Negotiations were prolonged, and Rees eventually went to Swinton.