2024

With the clocks counting down to the start of the season, the Rhinos only played one pre-season game in January as they looked ahead to round one against Salford.

The month's sole outing for the Men's side was the Keith Howard Foundation Trophy, which saw them face off against Bradford Bulls for the fourth time in five years. A youthful Rhinos side were defeated 34-8; Luis Roberts and Derrell Olpherts scoring the tries.

The day before, the club's Under-18s Academy also got the chance to test themselves in a pre-season test against Bradford, which saw Tony Smith's side win 26-22.

Centre Paul Momirovski's arrival from Australia saw the centre join up with his new team mates three weeks out from the season starting, plus there was further recruitment work going on inside the Men's and Women's first teams as James McDonnell signed a one-year extension to celebrate his 24th birthday, and outside back Beth Macmillan signed for Lois Forsell's side from Bradford Bulls.

A winning start to February saw the Rhinos celebrate James Donaldson's testimonial year with a clash against Hull KR at AMT Headingley. Brodie Croft got one of five tries for the home side as the Rhinos won their final pre-season test 26-18. The club got a further boost ahead of the season starting as England international Harry Newman committed to a new three-year deal to keep the Academy product at the club beyond 2027. 

Round one saw the Rhinos open the Super League season in style as a 'Try of the Season' contender from Ash Handley secured a 22-16 home win in front of 15,000 fans. Fan favourite Sam Lisone also crossed for the game-winning score. 

A week later they faced off with Willie Peters' Hull KR for a second time in the month, only this time the Robins got the better of the Rhinos in an 18-10 result on the road.

Continuing into March, the Rhinos' positive start to the new season saw them pick up three more league wins during the month. Handley was among the scorers again as Catalans were dispatched 18-10 in a tight tussle on home soil, but Rohan Smith's side had to find a different way to win when they visited Leigh Leopards in round four. 

Finding themselves three scores down in the first half against Adrian Lam's side, the visitors dug deep and managed to come back thanks to four consecutive tries scored by Rhyse Martin, Matt Frawley and two from Handley. 

Back to back home matches against St Helens in the league and Challenge Cup saw the Rhinos rally as they lost both games, but an opportunity to bounce back against local rivals Castleford was taken; Lachie Miller and Paul Momirovski opening their accounts for the club with two tries each in a 26-6 result.

March also signalled the start of the season for Leeds Rhinos Women and the club's Youth sides. Lois Forsell's Women's side began their journey to Wembley Stadium and the Challenge Cup Final as they faced Leigh Leopards and Hull KR in the competition's group stages. 

Debutants Shona Hoyle and Olivia Whitehead opened their accounts in a 52-4 result over the Leopards, before 16 tries against Hull KR ensured a place in the quarter finals.

A tough start to the season for the Reserves and Under-18s saw them lose their round one games against Leigh and St Helens, but the Reserves fought back in round two to beat Saints 30-22 on the road. 

The Scholarship and Women's Academy on the other hand made a great start; Mark Butterill's side beating Hull FC 26-16 whilst Matty Bullough's Under-19s Academy side beat Featherstone 36-4.

After a bright start to the season, the Rhinos' form slipped in April as Warrington and Huddersfield got the better of Rohan Smith's side in back to back home games. Ranked eighth in the league table heading into round eight, two tries on debut from Riley Lumb got the side back to winning ways against strugglers Hull FC in a 18-12 result.

Leeds Rhinos Women couldn't stop winning as a 54-10 win over Huddersfield and 70-10 demolition of Warrington at AMT Headingley saw them confirm their place in the semi finals of the Challenge Cup. 

April also marked the start of the Betfred Women's Super League season and Lois Forsell's side replicated their Cup form as they posted 26 tries and 134 points in their opening two games against the Giants and Wolves.

Rhinos hooker and England international Keara Bennett also hit 50 appearances at the club, becoming the tenth player in the club's history to complete the feat.

On the club's Youth front, Mark Butterill's Scholarship side continued their winning form as they beat Castleford and Wakefield by 40 points on home soil to build on their opening round win. 

Despite a tough result against Wigan Academy, Tony Smith's Rhinos Under-18s managed to claim the opening win of their season against Hull FC, thanks to a late try from Joe Diskin, but the same couldn't be said for the Reserves who lost their games against Warrington and Hull FC.

As the Super League competition entered May, the Rhinos saw off London Broncos with a convincing 46-8 win in the first of three meetings between the clubs. Eight different players grabbed tries in the win, including Brodie Croft, Jack Sinfield, Justin Sangare, James McDonnell and Mickael Goudemand, who scored their first tries of the year. 

The rest of the month saw a young Leeds side lose out to Catalans at the Stade Gilbert Brutus; Catalans taking revenge from round three in a 26-0 result. St Helens also claimed a 40-10 win over the Rhinos on their return to the UK. The game saw Matty Russell make his club debut, having signed from Warrington on a short term loan deal, but an injury saw the winger's time at the club end abruptly. He joined Morgan Gannon on the sidelines, as the club announced that the young star would sit the season out whilst he recovered from concussion.

Leeds Rhinos Women's side made sure they returned to the Women's Challenge Cup Final as they secured a 34-20 win over Wigan in the semi finals. Caitlin Beevers, Keara Bennett, Zoe Hornby, Lucy Murray, Hanna Butcher and two tries from Ruby Enright saw the Rhinos through as they faced St Helens in the Final for the second year running. 

In the Women's Super League, a 16-10 win over York Valkyrie saw the Rhinos push for first place at the top of the league table, before a tight 12-6 loss to St Helens in round four handed them their first defeat of the season.

Amongst the club's Academy and Youth sides, they collectively only suffered one loss in May. 

The Scholarship secured a 68-6 away win over Bradford in their sole game of the month, whilst the Academy got their second win of the year against Wakefield, thanks to four tries from George Brown, before losing out to St Helens on the road. 

The Rhinos Women's Academy were the only team to defeat Saints during the month as they secured a 26-14 result on the road to go with a win over York, and the Reserves managed to win all three of their games against London, Castleford and Bradford.

June 2024 will be a month that lives long in the memory of both the Leeds Rhinos club and fans as the club confirmed that former player Rob Burrow CBE had passed away, aged 41.

During the week after Burrow's passing, rugby league fans and more came from far and wide, through the day and overnight, to lay tributes to the Leeds legend at the John Holmes Statue. In particular, 668 shirts from various clubs were laid as part of the stunning tribute. Off the back of beating Castleford at home and losing out to Hull FC on the road, the men's first team returned to AMT Headingley to celebrate Burrow's life and legacy as they faced off against Leigh Leopards. Wearing the MND kit designed by Cath Muir, a 18-10 win for the Rhinos saw man of the match Brodie Croft touch down twice, including a length of the field effort in the first half, plus the club's number 7 Matt Frawley crowned an emotional night for all with a try.

The departure of head coach Rohan Smith during June saw Chev Walker step up to take interim charge, but the hunt for a new Sporting Director concluded as Ian Blease arrived from Salford to lead the club's search for the new head coach and preparations for 2025.

June was also the month of Wembley finals and Leeds Rhinos Women were back at the national stadium as they took on St Helensr. Matty Smith's side proved too good though as they lifted the Cup for the fourth time in a row. 

In the Super League competition, the Rhinos were convincing in performances against Barrow and Huddersfield.

At the end of the month, Leeds Men's and Women's players were both included in the England squads for the mid-season internationals against France. Caitlin Beevers, Amy Hardcastle, Keara Bennett, Shona Hoyle and Bella Sykes earned caps for Stuart Barrow's side in a 42-0 triumph, before Ash Handley and Harry Newman faced off against Mickael Goudemand and Justin Sangare in a 40-8 win for Shaun Wane's Men's side. Handley was back in try scoring form too as he scored twice.

Finally, the clubs' youngest stars continued to show promise with some top performances. The Women's Under-19s and Men's Scholarship added wins to their tally with results over Huddersfield (both teams), Featherstone (U19s) and St Helens (Scholars), plus the Under-18s Academy found form as they secured wins over Huddersfield and Castleford. 

The Reserves lost out to Hull FC, but quickly made amends in a 20-12 win over Salford.

London's second visit to AMT Headingley at the start of July was a tighter affair than earlier in the year as a Brodie Croft drop goal was required to edge the Rhinos passed the Broncos in a 17-16 result. 

Within the next week, as the team prepared to take on Warrington at the Halliwell Jones, the club confirmed former Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur had committed to the vacant head coaching role until the end of the season. Although he arrived at the club in time for the trip to face the Wolves, he saw Leeds go down 30-18.

The former Eels boss saw an upturn in performances when the in-form Hull KR arrived at Headingley; Lachie Miller scoring of the season's most bizarre tries in the defeat. 

The Rhinos made sure they found their winning formula at the end of the month against Huddersfield as they ran riot at the John Smith's Stadium. Ash Handley took his season's tally to 14 tries with a score in both halves, plus Harry Newman, Matt Frawley, Brodie Croft and Lachie Miller finished the job.

The club also made the announcement that Rhyse Martin would be departing at the end of the season, bringing the PNG captain's stay at AMT Headingley to an end after five years in blue and amber. 

Leeds Rhinos Women suffered defeat to St Helens for the second time in the league at the start of July but were back firing on all cylinders against Warrington; Caitlin Beevers scoring a hat trick plus debutant Ruby Bruce marked her debut with a score.

Four tries from Liv Whitehead against Barrow saw Forsell's side keep the race for the League Leaders' Shield alive too as the season approached it's climax. 

July also saw the Rhinos Women's side compete in the Nines Finals Day, held at Hull KR's Sewell Group Craven Park. Wins over St Helens, Cardiff Demons and Huddersfield Giants saw Leeds qualify for their second successive Nines' Final but they were held scoreless by Wigan in a 21-0 result.

The Rhinos Under-18s kept their winning momentum going as their season hit a crucial pinch point. The side got revenge on Castleford to close out a triple header of action with the Women's and Men's teams at AMT Headingley, before they put 52 points passed Hull KR in a nine try performance. 

The Under-16s Scholarship also defeated the Robins during July, but were unable to complete an unbeaten season as Warrington claimed a 24-12 win in the final game of the Scholarship season.

The Women's Under-19s were convincing in the penultimate match of their season as they claimed a second win of the year against Huddersfield. The Rhinos Reserves were unable to get passed the Giants to close out the month.

August saw the Rhinos face four opponents also vying for Play Off spots as the Betfred Super League campaign intensified.

Salford survived late attacks from Brad Arthur's side as the Red Devils squeezed passed Leeds by six points, but an energised Rhinos outfit were clinical a week later against league leaders' Wigan. Four tries from the home side, as well as seven goals from Rhyse Martin, gave Leeds fans one of the best performances of the season.

Magic Weekend arrived in the city at Elland Road, the home of Leeds United, but the neighbouring Rhinos were beaten by Matt Dufty and his Warrington Wolves side in a 24-6 defeat. Yet again though, Leeds bounced back as a home clash with the Dragons saw Arthur's side come out on top thanks to tries from David Fusitu'a, Matt Frawley and Lachie Miller.

The first piece of silverware by any Rhinos team was collected in August as Leeds Rhinos Wheelchair lifted the League Leaders' Shield for the fourth straight season with a two point victory over Halifax Panthers. The side were unstoppable for the entire regular season as they went undefeated.

Wins kept coming for Leeds Rhinos Women as a youthful outfit made light work of Featherstone on the road; debutants Ebony Stead and Ruby Walker both scoring in the 68-6 triumph. Bethan Dainton was the player of the match a week later as they wowed Wigan 28-8 at AMT Headingley. 

The same couldn't be said for the Women's Under-19s Academy as they lost out to York 32-18 in the final match of their season.

The men's Under-18s Academy kept their hopes of a semi final finish alive with a fourth consecutive league win as they took down Wakefield, but losses to Warrington and Bradford ended the side's chances of making the semi finals. The Reserves had been ruled out of the chase for a Grand Final spot already, but finished their season on a high with a win over Wakefield. 

More drop goal drama kicked off September as a trip to London saw Croft's boot called into action again to get Leeds a 21-20 result over the Broncos. The following week's game against Hull FC was a far more straightforward affair as the Rhinos gave the Headingley crowd 68 points to cheer about as Alfie Edgell scored four tries in an outstanding solo performance.

Disappointing results against eventual Grand Finalists Wigan and Hull KR away from home ended Leeds' Super League campaign as the club ranked eighth in the table on 28 points.

The race for the Betfred Women's Super League Leaders' Shield came to an end for Lois Forsell's Rhinos Women's side at the start of the month as Evie Cousins scored Leeds' sole try in a 32-6 loss to York Valkyrie, but second place in the table and a Play Off berth was finalised with wins against Featherstone and Wigan. 

Facing off against the Valkyrie in the Super League semi finals, only two points separated the two sides but it was York who progressed through to the Grand Final with a 12-10 win.

Elsewhere around the Rhinos club, James Simpson's Wheelchair side booked their place back in the Grand Final as they bagged a ninth win of the year in the semi finals; thanks to a masterclass from Nathan Collins and four tries from Josh Butler against Wigan. 

PDRL Finals Day also came around as the Rhinos travelled to Castleford's Mend-A-Hose Jungle, but the side lost out to the Tigers in the semi finals and drew with Wigan in the third place play off.

Finally, September saw the return of the club's annual awards night, where members of the Rhinos family were rewarded for their efforts over the year. Ash Handley led the Men's Awards as the winger received the inaugural Rob Burrow CBE Player of the Year Award, aptly named after the late club legend. 

Lucy Murray earned club and competition honours as she won the Rhinos Women's Player of the Year and was nominated for Woman of Steel, whilst Wheelchair captain Jodie Boyd-Ward claimed the Wheelchair Player of the Year honour ahead of their Grand Final fixture.

Stephen Parkin and Declan Jenkinson were named co-winners for the LDSL team whilst World Cup winner Tommy Pouncey collected the PDRL Player of the Year.

Although most Rhinos teams had finished their seasons by October, Leeds Rhinos Wheelchair made sure the club finished the year on a high as they secured Grand Final glory in a 52-32 win over Halifax Panthers. The Wheels of Steel winner Josh Butler had a game to remember as he led the side with three tries, plus Nathan Collins scored two tries and kicked eight goals to help the Rhinos lift their first Grand Final trophy in three years. Player of the season and captain Jodie Boyd-Ward, Tom Halliwell, and Nathan Mulhall also got over for tries.