2001

If 2000 has been a turbulent year for Leeds Rhinos, the following year was a one of unfulfilled hope and bitter disappointment as Leeds lost eleven league games, missed out in the Cup semi final and were humiliated in the opening round of the play offs at Knowsley Road.

It all started so differently for the Rhinos in Dean Lance?s second season at the club. Having recruited three superstars from the NRL in Tonie Carroll from Brisbane, Brett Mullins from Canberra Raiders and Bradley Clyde from Canterbury Bulldogs along with exciting hooker Robbie Mears, Leeds looked to be in good shape for the new campaign. A pre-season trip to Jacksonville seemed to have the desired effect when Leeds re-wrote the record books with an incredible 106-10 win at Gigg Lane against Swinton Lions in the Fourth Round of the cup. Leeds scored 18 tries, all bar one converted by Iestyn Harris however a cloud was cast on the game when Mears suffered a broken collar bone on his debut.

Leeds comprehensively beat Castleford at The Jungle in the next round live on the BBC with Matt Diskin drafted in for his debut. That was followed by a remarkable game at The Valley against London Broncos which saw the home side run out to an 18-0 lead before Leeds score 50 unanswered points to kick off the season in fine style in Round One of Super League VI.

Bradley Clyde produced what would turn out to be his finest performance for Leeds in the Quarter Final of the Cup as Leeds won at the Boulevard 20-18 and the Rhinos went top of the fledgling league table with four tries from Carroll in a 42-14 win over Wakefield in round two. However, the Rhinos came back down to Earth with a bump when a 42-6 hammering at Wigan where they returned a week later for a 22-27 defeat to St Helens in the semi final of the Cup when the gulf between the sides were wider than the final scoreline suggested.

Hull gained revenge on Leeds at Headingley on a horrible night which was only illuminated by a debut from Rob Burrow but it was to prove a defeat too far for Dean Lance, who left the club by mutual agreement 48 hours later. Daryl Powell, who had retired as a player less than six months earlier was immediately installed as Head Coach and gave Burrow his full debut in a much improved performance at Warrington the following week, despite another defeat.

Powell lifted his side to produce a run of four straight victories including a fantastic win over the World Champions St Helens 74-16 the week after Saints had lifted the Challenge Cup at Twickenham with Carroll scoring four once again.

In front of over 18,000 fans, the Rhinos lost to Bradford, who would become a thorn in the side of Powell during his reign before winning their next three games including home wins over lowly Huddersfield and London, the latter taking Leeds up to a mid-season high of fourth, sandwiched either side of victory at Belle Vue.

The win over the Broncos at the start of June was one of few highlights at the start of the summer. Leeds were off the pace against Wigan as Brian Carney scored a spectacular 90-metre try for the Andy Farrell-inspired Warriors.

The following week, prop Danny Ward marked his 21st birthday with a drop goal in a 15-6 win at the Boulevard. Back at Headingley seven days later, the Rhinos and Warrington battled out a dramatic 24-24 draw with Robbie Mears scoring a late try to equalise for the home side however the luck ran out a week later when Castleford secured a two point win at The Jungle.

July was not much better for the Rhinos as they beat Salford and Huddersfield but suffered heavy back to back defeats away from home at Bradford and St Helens.

The mood was not lifted the following month as the news broke that Iestyn Harris was set to leave the club to join Wales Rugby Union in a record breaking deal. In the same week, the Rhinos once again lost to Bradford at home and the team were cemented in fifth place in the table.

Three wins from the final five games of the regular season summed up the season for the Rhinos with victory over Saints at Knowsley Road, including two tries from Rob Burrow, a rare highlight. The game ended on a bitter note with a vicious shot by Sonny Nickle on Robbie Mears that signalled the end of the hooker?s time at Leeds.

The omens were not good for the play offs when the Rhinos were humiliated at Odsal on the final day of the regular season 62-18 in front of just 12,863 fans.

The following week Leeds gave their all but found themselves short on their return to Knowsley Road as they faced Saints for the fifth and final time. Saints won 38-30 and a reconstruction of the side began under Powell in his first off season at the club whilst debuts for the likes of Rob Burrow, who was named Super League Young Player of the Year, Danny McGuire and Matt Diskin were important pieces in the final puzzle for the Rhinos.