Leeds Rhinos will have to rewrite the history books if they are to reclaim the Super League title this season – but they do have previous on that front.
No team in the modern era has ever reached the Grand Final, let alone won it, having lost their first three games of a season.
Richard Agar’s men have been left nursing some bruised egos after defeats at the hands of Warrington Wolves, Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons in the three opening rounds.
Certainly against Wigan and Catalans, Leeds looked anything but title aspirants and they will have to defy the odds if they are to become a champion team in 2022.
At the same time, it should be remembered that the Rhinos have made a habit of breaking records during their serial successes in the Super League era.
During the 2011 campaign, Brian McDermott steered Leeds to Grand Final glory against St Helens at Old Trafford.
Significantly, it was the first time that a side had finished fifth in the table to become crowned champions.
Midway through that season, McDermott received some criticism but his men delivered the goods when it mattered most to beat Saints 32-16.
The game was famous for Rob Burrow’s brilliant individual try in the first half before he laid on the match-winner late in the second for Ryan Hall with another thrilling scamper.
Burrow’s brilliant individual performance, which condemned St Helens to a fifth successive Grand Final defeat – four of those coming against Leeds – came during a season where he was used largely off the bench.
Burrow, whose performance earned him the Lance Todd Trophy as the game’s outstanding player, said after the match: “That doesn’t matter on a night like this.
“Everybody would rather start a match than be on the bench, but you do whatever is best for the team.”
McDermott added: “That answer sums up some of the reasons behind the success of this club.”
Fast forward 12 months and Leeds won the title again from fifth place after seeing off Warrington 26-18 at Old Trafford in 2012.
The Rhinos had looked down and out when they were comprehensively beaten in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley six weeks earlier by an unmistakably superior Warrington team.
For the second year running, they scrambled unconvincingly into the play-offs in fifth position, but this time having endured the additional demands of peaking for their World Club Challenge win against Manly Sea Eagles back in February.
During a compelling 2012 title decider, Leeds twice had to come from behind against a Warrington team who had finished second in the table.
McDermott this time reserved special praise for captain Kevin Sinfield, who scored a try and kicked five goals in a brilliant display which saw him win the Lance Todd Trophy.
Sinfield said: “When nobody else thinks you’re good enough, or they say you’re too old, the lads seem to pull together. It’s the siege mentality again.”
As Agar’s team bid to kickstart their campaign at the fourth time of asking on Thursday – away to Wakefield Trinity – they can take inspiration from the spirit of the Rhinos of the not-too-distant past.
