Leeds Rhinos have grown accustomed to writing some amazing stories en-route to Old Trafford down the years, but their 2022 campaign threatened to top the lot. It was a white-knuckle ride that had almost everything – a head coach quitting after six games, a club legend stepping in at a time of crisis, relegation fears and an unheralded Aussie arriving to steer the team to the Grand Final.
All that was missing was a fairytale finish as Rohan Smith’s side lost to all-conquering St Helens last Saturday. Gary Hetherington, the Rhinos’ long-serving chief executive who has seen it all during his 26 years in charge, believes the past season was unparalleled for its ups and downs.
“We’ve had a lot of remarkable journeys to the Grand Final over the years, but I think this season is the most remarkable,” he told Leeds Live. “Much was made of us winning it twice from fifth in 2011 and 2012, but had we managed to emerge victorious this year then we would have actually done it from 11th – because that’s where we were when Rohan Smith arrived midway through the season.
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“The chances of even making the play-offs at that stage looked remote and since then, most games became almost like sudden-death because we were left needing to win the vast majority of them just to make the top six.”
The year began with four new signings and the usual new-season optimism. Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer formed a new half-back partnership, James Bentley stiffened up the back row and David Fusitu’a lined up on the right wing.
Bentley, though, was sent off on his debut at home to Warrington and Richard Agar’s team lost five of their first six games, prompting him to resign because he felt his methods were no longer working.
“We went into that Warrington game believing we could certainly be a top-four team, but of course that initially proved to be anything but the case,” added Hetherington. “We then became decimated by injuries and suspensions, which was the main reason why we lost so many games and what led to Richard Agar’s resignation.”
Jamie Jones-Buchanan took interim charge, failing to win his first four games before handing the reins to Smith on the back of two home victories against fellow strugglers Toulouse Olympique and Hull Kingston Rovers.
Hetherington interviewed five coaches during a trip to Australia and other UK-based coaches before opting for Smith, then in charge of Norths Devils. The nephew of former Grand Final-winning Leeds coach Tony Smith inherited a squad hit by injuries and suspensions and wobbling alarmingly confidence-wise.
Yet his mild-mannered approach worked wonders as Leeds improved massively to make the play-offs and beat Catalans and Wigan away to reach Old Trafford.
“We continued to be bedevilled by injuries and suspension right through until our last game of the season, but Rohan, his staff and of course the players did a terrific job,” Hetherington said.
“Not only have they produced some winning results, but they have done it in style. We’re more freeflowing under Rohan and I think we’ve become a really good team to watch. I have to say that he has delivered more than any of us could have hoped for, so it’s been a very good appointment.”
Highlight reels? Take your pick. A stunning 40-4 away win at Warrington in Smith’s third game and a 62-16 annihilation of Hull FC which showed the tide was beginning to turn.
Smith, a positive person by nature, poured confidence into Leeds’ players. A keen student of the game since his childhood, Smith did his homework on rival teams and potential signings by taking in numerous games in Super League and the Championship.
A win over Castleford at Magic Weekend was a big boost to Leeds’ play-off hopes and they soon became largely unstoppable, thumping Wigan at Headingley before a sensational comeback win at Catalans the following week.
August was another profitable month as the resurgent Rhinos won four of their five games before a final-round win over Castleford sealed fifth spot. They deservedly won at Catalans and Wigan in the play-offs to reach their first Grand Final since 2017 and complete a staggering turnaround in form and fortunes.
Beating Saints proved a step too far, but Hetherington said: “We went there full of confidence but St Helens put in a very impressive performance and it was a fair result. We’re now rebuilding the squad to ensure we challenge for the title every season, like we always used to.”
Youngsters such as Morgan Gannon, Jarrod O’Connor and Sam Walters have thrived under Smith, while England prop Mikolaj Oledzki proved his class and played in every game to become Leeds’ only ever-present.
Bentley put his early-season disciplinary problems behind to emerge as a key figure and Austin and Sezer also played their part in the team’s resurgence. The Aussie duo remain contracted for next season while Fusitu’a will aim for more regular game-time after injuries restricted him to just 14 appearances this year.
You had to feel especially for young centre Harry Newman, a player clearly so talented but cruelly ravaged by hamstring injuries which saw him miss the run-in and now the World Cup. The likes of Zak Hardaker and Richie Myler showed their enduring class but Liam Sutcliffe, Tom Briscoe, Bodene Thompson, Muizz Mustapha and Brad Dwyer will all move on.
A handful of new signings will replace them as Hetherington juggles the salary cap to create space to hand Hardaker a new deal. More should be seen next year of the likes of Jack Sinfield and Max Simpson, who made their Super League debuts at Castleford on Easter Monday.
The Rhinos’ Academy team beat St Helens in their Grand Final and Hetherington added: “That’s testament to the quality of players in our Academy and the players coming through who are in and around the first-team squad.
“A number of young players were given an opportunity by Rohan this year and they took it with both hands.”
There will be a reshuffle in the backroom with Jones-Buchanan moving into a new role and Sean Long and long-serving Jason Davidson both leaving the club. With 13 wins from 19 games since Smith’s appointment, Leeds feel a club on the rise again.
Hetherington concluded: “Winning the Grand Final is our target for next season – we want to be there again but this time bring the Super League trophy back to Headingley.”
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