2005

After tasting Grand Final glory, it was hard to believe that the 2005 season could go beyond expectations. As a matter of fact, it could as Leeds reached every major final that year and broke a whole host of records.

Considering Grand Final lock Dave Furner left the club to take up a coaching role at NRL side Canberra Raiders, Leeds made what would be a crucial piece of business by signing Gareth Ellis from local rivals Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. Lee Smith and Ashley Gibson came through the academy to join the first team, with Smith appearing ten times throughout the course of the year, and Scott Murrell was a fourth signing from London.

With season tickets exceeding 10,000 only six weeks prior to the season starting, the club would smash their first record, with an average attendance of 17,011 throughout the season, beating the previous record set in 1952. Two wins over London and against Oldham for Barrie McDermott?s testimonial looked to set Leeds on a high ahead of their first match; a World Club Challenge match against NRL premiers Canterbury Bulldogs.

Played in front of a 37,028 crowd at Elland Road, the Rhinos would face a stern test to overcome a Canterbury side boasting NRL legends Hazem El Mazri, Braith Anasta and Sonny Bill Williams. A 39-32 victory would seal a first World Club title for Leeds, who were the fourth British winner of the competition. Tries from Chev Walker, Mark Calderwood, Danny McGuire, Willie Poching, Rob Burrow, Richie Mathers and Jamie Jones-Buchanan sealed Tony Smith?s second title at the helm.

Seven wins out of eight games to start the season would draw the crowds to see the Rhinos win convincing home and away wins over Hull FC, St Helens, Widnes, Huddersfield, Warrington, Salford and Bradford five months after the Grand Final. Kevin Sinfield also set some personal history, kicking his 1000th point against Widnes.

Only an 28-44 away loss to Wakefield broke Leeds? stride as they entered the Powergen Challenge Cup, but normal service resumed with a close 26-22 win over Warrington; Rob Burrow?s double seeing Leeds draw French side SM Pia.

Eight try scorers crossed in a 64-6 drubbing of London Broncos before Leeds blew title rivals Wigan off the park. A first half double from Keith Senior and one from Willie Poching saw the Rhinos lead the game 12-16. Leeds would keep Wigan scoreless in the second half whilst running in a further four tries courtesy of Marcus Bai, Ali Lauitiiti, Mark Calderwood and Liam Botham, sealing a 14-38 win at the JJB Stadium.

With May came the announcement of the Great Britain squad which the Rhinos dominated. A quarter of the squad wore blue and amber with Danny Ward, Ryan Bailey, Danny McGuire, Keith Senior, Gareth Ellis and Chev Walker being joined by Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield and Mark Calderwood, who could make their debuts in November?s Tri Nations tournament.

Points next seemed hard to come by for Leeds as they racked up the highest point average in history as well as making four of the highest score lines in the club?s history that season. Scoring over 40 points over Widnes and Huddersfield, the Rhinos left no prisoners in their Challenge Cup fifth round match against Pia. With Lee Smith debuting for the ill Marcus Bai, the 18-year-old contributed two tries in a 70-0 thrashing. Mark Calderwood scored a hat trick on the day, with a double from Rob Burrow and Richie Mathers plus scores from Gareth Ellis, Chris McKenna, Nick Scruton and Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who had got a double against Widnes two weeks before.

The Leeds club continued their stance at the top of the table with back to back matches against Leigh Centurions. The Rhinos scored 102 points over both matches, which were 60-4 and 42-24, with eleven different scorers in rounds 13 and 14.

As spring turned to summer, Leeds conceded only their second loss away to St Helens; the Lancashire side running out 24-38. A first career hat trick from Jamie Jones-Buchanan wasn?t enough as Saint?s closed the gap on the league leaders.

The signing of Scott Donald from Manly Sea Eagles to replace the departing Mark Calderwood for 2006 was intriguing to Rhinos fans as were the score lines in June. Two seventy-point score lines over Wakefield and Wigan showed the degree of attack from the Rhinos. 25 tries from twelve scorers kept Leeds on top, with Ali Lauitiiti scoring five tries versus Wakefield breaking the record for the most tries scored by a forward in a match.

With a strong foundation, Leeds were riding high going into their Challenge Cup quarter final against London Broncos. With previous history in this cup, notably the 1999 Challenge Cup final, the Rhinos were on song with a 32-12 win; a double by Danny McGuire highlighting one of Leeds? biggest threats in the academy graduate only in his third full season.

The Broncos would provide a blow two games later to both the Rhinos and the league table. With St Helens closely following the Rhinos in second, the 24-32 loss to London proved costly despite Leeds remaining first for the time being.

Further wins at Salford and Warrington kept the Rhinos top of the league and gave the club confidence with Toulouse standing between them and a Challenge Cup final. Held at the Galpharm, Leeds produced a comprehensive 56-18 victory. Despite conceding to Adrien Viala in the opening exchanges, Leeds hit back with tries from Chris McKenna, Gareth Ellis, Danny McGuire, Ali Lauitiiti, Marcus Bai, Mark Calderwood, Rob Burrow, Chev Walker and Willie Poching.

Another 74-00 win over Leigh Centurions and a 44-24 victory at home to London Broncos followed before the Rhinos began to come undone. Starting with a 16-42 home loss to Bradford Bulls, the Rhinos slipped to second after St Helens beat London Broncos 50-04.

A week later, hopes of a first Challenge Cup win since 1999 would have to wait as a point separated the Rhinos from Hull. Despite taking control of the match with a Mark Calderwood try, Hull would secure their advantage with Motu Tony, Gareth Raynor and Richard Whiting going over with Danny Ward the only reply from Leeds. Mark Calderwood and Marcus Bai offered the Rhinos a lifeline at 24-19 but Paul Cooke broke Leeds hearts, scoring late to secure the cup for Hull, the final score 24-25.

Two losses away to Wigan and Warrington and a final win against Wakefield at home proceeded, providing a fitting send off for Barrie McDermott and Francis Cummins as Leeds started their playoff journey, despite missing out on top spot by three points.

St Helens at Knowsley was the task ahead of Leeds in the qualifying semi finals. With pressure on the Super League champions, Leeds didn?t crumble to secure another Grand Final with a 19-16 win. The two Danny?s Ward and McGuire put Leeds to a 0-12 half time lead that Ali Lauitiiti extended ten minutes into the second half. Despite replies from Ian Hardman and two from Jamie Lyons, Leeds kept their nerve to go back to Old Trafford.

Only St Helens had won back to back Grand Finals in the 1999 and 200 seasons, but Leeds would have to secure their second title by beating familiar foe; Brian Nobles Bradford Bulls. Ali Lauitiiti, Kevin Sinfield, Mark Calderwood and Rob Burrow were named in the dream team and all lined up against the Bulls in October. Danny McGuire edged Leeds out to a 2-6 lead, but Bradford toughed a 6-15 result thanks to tries from Leon Pryce and Lesley Vainikolo.

At the end of the season, McDermott and Cummins departed the club, with Calderwood moving to Wigan. Andrew Dunemann joined Salford whilst Chris McKenna and Marcus Bai turned down contracts to leave the club. The tri nations tournament was back in England and Leeds had five players named in the Great BritainMc squad. Burrow, Senior, Sinfield, Ellis and Walker were all selected whilst Ali Lauitiiti joined the New Zealand squad. McDermott and Cummins joined the Ireland squad for the European Nations championships.