1940-1941

Owing to the state of emergency no fewer than 55 players wore the Leeds jersey during the season. The pre-war players who were able to turn out more or less regularly were Hey, Eaton, Jenkins Morris, Murphy, Jubb, Tattersfield, F. Harris, Prosser and Satterthwaite, whilst Cliff Evans was fortunately available for the Cup Final at Odsal. Des Foreman who was to take part in post-war rugby at Headingley, and who had made his debut in May of this year, put in twelve appearances, whilst a promising young player, Dennis Warrior, made his debut at Headingley on October 12th. B. E. Toothill, an ex-Leeds Grammar School boy, who was later to pay the supreme sacrifice, showed commendable skill and determination on the wing in several games. Many guest players assisted the Club during the season, the more famous of them including Gus Risman, Eric Batten, J. Garrett and J. Lawrenson.

The League programme was confined to Yorkshire Clubs, and we showed a little improvement on the previous season, winning fourteen matches out of twenty-five.

Wigan were granted special permission to take part in the Yorkshire Cup Competition and they entertained Leeds in the 1st Round. A crowd of pre-war size and enthusiasm saw a grand game, and we succeeded in being the first club to lower the ?cherry and white? colours for eighteen games. A try by Dai Jenkins, a drop goal from Ken Jubb and two placed kicks by Jack Kelly took us through by 9 points to 3. But Featherstone Rovers, the Yorkshire Cup holders, were too good for us at Post Office Road in the 2nd Round.

We had a bye in the 1st Round of the R.L. Cup Competition, and a narrow win at Dewsbury in the 2nd Round, by 6 points to 5, took us to Parkside. This was the fourth successive time Leeds had been asked to travel in Cup competitions this season, and a stern task was anticipated, but sounder teamwork resulted in a victory by 17 points to 10. A crowd of 16,000 (the Home Office had relaxed their controls to some extent as danger from the air was now not considered quite so alarmingly) saw an excellent game at Headingley with Bradford Northern as visitors for the ?first leg? of the Semi Final. Each side scored two tries and two goals, and over 22,000 assembled for the ?second leg? at Odsal, where Leeds were unquestionably superior on the day, inflicting on Bradford their second defeat of the season and their first at home.

Halifax were the other finalists, having defeated Wakefield Trinity after two thrilling games (Halifax 2-Wakefield 2, at Thrum Hall: Wakefield 10-Halifax 5, at Belle Vue). Odsal was the venue for the final and a crowd of 29,000 witnessed a game which had far too much ?needle?. At half-time Leeds held a lead of only three points but the final score was 19-2, and so the Rugby League Challenge Cup came to Headingley for the fifth time. It was an amazing record: Five times Cup Finalists, and five times Cup Winners!! The Leeds team on this occasion was: Eaton; Batten, Evans, Hey, Lawrenson; Morris, Jenkins; Prosser, Murphy, Bennett, Satterthwaite, Pearson, Tattersfleld.