2010

In Brian McClennan?s final season with the club, Leeds Rhinos had more than just St Helens to compete with. The turn of the decade saw the rise of Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves, who would take silverware in 2010. The champions would be close but caught short of their title defence.
After finally claiming a work visa for Greg Eastwood, the New Zealand prop was a major signing for the club ahead of the new season. Following him from the NRL was centre Brett Delaney, who was part of the Gold Coast Titans side that reached the NRL playoffs last season. Wins over Wakefield on Boxing Day and Bradford in Matt Diskin?s testimonial match put the Rhinos in good stead ahead of the new campaign.
Like last season, Leeds faced Crusaders in their opening game of the campaign. Making his debut, Brett Delaney marked his first start with a try for his new club in the wintery Welsh conditions. Donald, McGuire, Sinfield and a double from Ali Lauitiiti got Leeds off to a great start with a 34-06 win.
On home soil for the first time in the new season, Leeds were unable to produce a win. Castleford produced the shock of the opening fixtures to win 10-24 in front of a near 16,000 capacity crowd. Delaney was on the board again for a second week running, as was McGuire, who also scored in the round two loss to Wakefield.
Leeds dropped to twelfth with the loss at Hearwell but with a World Club match in sight, the Rhinos beat Salford at Headingley for a second win of the season. Two tries by Keith Senior was the highlight of the match as the England and Great Britain centre gave Leeds a 22-10 win over the City Reds.
Melbourne Storm were back at Elland Road for the World Club Challenge and were looking for revenge after losing to the Rhinos in 2008. They had edged Paramatta 23-16 in the Grand Final after beating Manly and Brisbane by 40 points in their playoff matches. In a game that brought fire and passion, Leeds would make it a second season as runners up. Danny McGuire scored the only try for Leeds but Kevin Sinfield was taken from the field with a leg injury. Luke MacDougall and Anthony Quinn crossed for Melbourne, with captain Smith slotting five goals from five to win 10-18. Following the win, an internal investigation found a salary cap breach by the Melbourne club and were stripped of their 2007 and 2009 NRL premierships and the World Club Challenge win.
Following their defeat, Leeds were back on the winning road temporarily against Harlequins. A strong 62-4 display at Headingley proved Leeds still meant business. Two tries by Webb, Hall, Buderus and Lauitiiti was added to by World Club Challenge scorer Danny McGuire, Kallum Watkins, Keith Senior and youngster Tom Bush. With Sinfield injured, Rob Burrow would take over kicking duties, slotting seven on the day.
The Rhinos then fell down the table with a trio of losses against Huddersfield, Hull KR and Wigan. Now ninth in the league, Leeds were lifted by the arrival of Lee Smith, who made the late change back from Wasps to play for the Rhinos. Along with Kevin Sinfield, who made his first appearance since the World Club Challenge, the two inspired a comeback from 20-6 down to draw 20-20 against Bradford. Two tries from Smith and one from Sinfield and Delaney helped Leeds get a much-needed point.
The Rhinos also returned from Perpignan with two points as Danny McGuire kept his scoring tally up with two over the French side. Brett Delaney was proving his worth, scoring his fourth of the season and looking to be a suitable replacement for Gareth Ellis, who departed the club at the end of 2008.
Back in England, Leeds made it a two consecutive wins over Hull FC in the league and Challenge Cup. A high scoring affair at Headingley was won by the Rhinos 46-30, thanks to two tries for Keith Senior and Ryan Hall, before Leeds improved their result to 48-24 in the cup. In a replay of the 2005 Challenge Cup Final, Leeds would waltz through, thanks to their talented number five. Unstoppable on the wing, Ryan Hall was paving the way to be one of England?s best wingers as he scored four tries to send Leeds through. Two tries from Brent Webb also helped Leeds into the fifth round.
A heavy defeat to St Helens the week after was overshadowed by seven wins to raise Leeds from ninth to fifth. Ironically, it started at Murrayfield Magic as another three tries by Hall helped the Rhinos edge Wakefield 34-30. Championship One side Blackpool Panthers visited Headingley for the worst as Leeds proved clinical with a 70-22 win. Brent Webb crossed five times in a man of the match performance, with academy player Michael Coady scoring his first hat trick for the club.
The Rhinos continued to win as Warrington and Bradford were beaten 26-16 and 26-12 to push Leeds into fifth. A tie against Wigan in the quarter finals of the Challenge Cup got Leeds fans dreaming that different silverware would grace Headingley as they edged the league leader 12-10 at Headingley. It would be a day for the kickers as Sinfield and Pat Richards kicked penalties to put the score at 10-8 in favour of Wigan. A late try by Lee Smith would put Leeds within touching distance of Wembley as the winger touched down in the 79th minute to win the game for Leeds.
Now into June, Leeds would continue their winning run and hold onto fifth place. Wins over Wakefield and Harlequins looked as if the Rhinos would be making a haul to the top of the league but another shock, this time against Crusaders, rumbled Leeds at home.
Keith Senior and Danny Buderus were part of five players to sign new one-year deals into 2011 and both scoring against Warrington at the Halliwell Jones Stadium prior to signing. Greg Eastwood was also on the scoresheet for his second try since crossing against Blackpool in the Challenge Cup.
Danny McGuire surpassed 15 tries for the season as his double helped Leeds to a 28-24 win over St Helens. Over 17,000 crowded into Headingley to see Leeds beat the Lancastrian side. Chris Clarkson and Brett Delaney opened the scoring for Leeds but McGuire?s double and a late score by Ryan Hall sealed a 28-24 win for the Champions.
Round 21 was a shock as Ryan Hall?s only score stopped Leeds from being nilled by Hull KR at Craven Park. A week later, it would be a point that won the game over Huddersfield Giants. Clarkson, Hall and McGuire were on the scoresheet again, but it would be the boot of Kevin Sinfield in the final moments that won the game for Leeds, dropping the goal to seal the two points.
Before the round 24 clash with league leaders Wigan, Leeds announced that Greg Eastwood had been transfer listed with the intention of returning to returning to Australia. Placed fourth after a 31-22 win over Salford, Leeds would lose out on points to the in-form side. Tries from Chris Clarkson and Keith Senior couldn?t stop a Wigan side, led by rising star Sam Tomkins, a week before their Challenge Cup semi-final.
It would be a replay of the 2008 Challenge Cup semi-finals at the Galpharm in Huddersfield as Leeds looked to reach a first Challenge Cup final since 2005. St Helens on the other hand had, prior to last season, won the competition three time in a row. Leeds would take the lead with a two-point penalty before Ryan Hall took a pass from Webb to score in the corner. Paul Wellens, Kieron Cunningham and Francis Meli replied for St Helens to make sure the twelve-time winners led 8-18 at half time. Senior put Hall in for his second and Danny McGuire replied to Matt Gidley?s score to put the score at 20-22. Brent Webb gave Leeds the lead as he took an inside pass from Buderus to touch down. St Helens wouldn?t rest as James Graham crashed over to swing the tie once more but with minutes to go, Leeds sealed their place at Wembley when McGuire took an offload from Peacock to race through and win the match for Leeds.
Two big wins followed swiftly after as Leeds prepared to meet current Cup holders Warrington in the Challenge Cup final. A trip to Castleford?s Jungle saw McGuire and Hall get back on the scoresheet as the Rhinos pushed Castleford down the league with a 38-06 win. Back at home, bottom of the league Catalans Dragons provided very little in defence to stop Leeds running riot at home. Hat tricks for McGuire and Hall gave the fans hope of a Wembley win after the Rhinos put in a strong attacking performance against the Dragons.
Brian McDermott returned to Headingley to take up an assistant coaching role under Brian McClennan and Scott Donald announced his retirement at the end of the season as Leeds prepared for their Challenge Cup matchup against Warrington. Three former Rhinos players were included in the Warrington lineup; Richie Mathers, Adrian Morley and Garreth Carvell being selected by former Rhinos coach Tony Smith for the current holders. It would be a day to forget Leeds as they were humiliated by the Wolves. Lee Smith was the only scorer for Leeds as Warrington?s Ryan Atkins scored two tries, Chris Hicks got a hat trick and Louis Anderson increased the win to 30-06 and claim back to back cup wins for Warrington.
Returning to the league, Leeds capped off their season with a 18-14 away win against Hull FC. In reply to their drubbing at Wembley, Danny McGuire and Scott Donald secured fourth place and a play off place for the Rhinos, who won 18-14.
Both of Leeds? playoff matches would be against Wigan at both the DW Stadium and Headingley. In the qualifying playoff, Leeds edged the league leaders to secure another home semi-final. Like throughout the season, the two sides battled it out over the eighty minutes and it went down to the wire. Danny Buderus, Scott Donald, Ryan Hall and Danny McGuire tries were counteracted by Liam Farrell, Pat Richards and two tries by Sam Tomkins. Both kickers were matched kick for kick until Sinfield put Leeds one step away from Old Trafford with a 26-27 win.
With a week off, Leeds had plenty of time to prepare for another matchup with Wigan, who beat Hull KR five days after losing to Leeds. Held at Headingley, it looked to be in the balance for Leeds to make another Grand Final. But rules are made to be broken as Wigan kept Leeds to one try over the eighty minutes. Sinfield was the only points scorer in the 06-26 loss as Wigan made a first Grand Final since 2003.
The match with Wigan would be the last for Brian McClennan who stepped down after the end of the season. Brian McDermott would step up and take the reins of the club for 2011. Greg Eastwood was also released back to Canterbury Bulldogs. Francis Cummins and Willie Poching left the club as announced in July to pursue coaching roles elsewhere. Keith Senior and Ryan Hall were named in the Super League dream team. Hall would be the only Rhinos player that was called up to the England side for the Four Nations after Jamie Peacock and Kevin Sinfield dropped out despite playing against France in June. Luke Ambler was part of Ireland?s European cup squad, scoring against Wales, whilst Ali Lauitiiti appeared off the bench for Samoa in a warm up match against New Zealand.