SL Preview: Leeds

29 Jan 2010 | Greg Farrimond

The Rhinos will once again be looking to break records by winning their fourth consecutive Grand Final this campaign.

The current Super League Champions are as strong as ever and with Lee Smith their only significant departure, they keep a very similar squad in 2010 to that of 2009.

Amongst Brian McLennan's winter purchases, Brett Delaney replaces the Rugby Union bound Smith whilst Greg Eastwood ditches life Down Under for the UK.

Leeds have been strongly tipped to regain their Super League crown once again, not least down to their powering forwards and unpredictable backs.

England reject Rob Burrow was menacing in 2009 and will use this season to show England boss Tony Smith just what he missed in the Four Nations.

It is hard to pick a weakness in a side who have proved to be as strong and dominant in recent years.

Despite the Rhinos' league success, the Challenge Cup has proved to be somewhat of an obstacle for the Yorkshire outfit. Last season marked a decade since they last won the prestigeous trophy.

Star man: Greg Eastwood. Probably controversial to deem a new signing to a successful club as their star man but the young Kiwi has a really bright future ahead of him and could be key this season as Leeds look to continue their reign as the supreme.

Last Tackle season prediction: 1st

Ins:
Greg Eastwood - Canterbury Bulldogs
Brett Delaney - Gold Coast Titans
Kyle Amor - Whitehaven
Michael Coady - Doncaster
Jay Pitts - Wakefield Trinity Wildcats

Outs:
Lee Smith - London Wasps RU
Ashley Gibson - Salford City Reds
Danny Allan - Featherstone Rovers
Simon Worrall - Toulouse (Loan)
Ben Jones-Bishop - Harlequins
Dane Manning - Featherstone Rovers

Comments

No comments for this article

You must be logged in to leave a comment

Don't have an account yet? Click here to register. Only takes a few seconds.

Stats

St. Helens	vs	Warrington
Round: Play Offs Fri 10 Sep 20:00
Huddersfield	vs	Crusaders
Round: Play Offs Sat 11 Sep 15:45
Hull FC	vs	Hull K R
Round: Play Offs Sat 11 Sep 18:00
Wigan	vs	Leeds
Round: Play Offs Sun 12 Sep 18:45
tbc	vs	tbc
Round: Play Offs Fri 17 Sep 20:00
tbc	vs	tbc
Round: Play Offs Sat 18 Sep 18:15

Salford	16 - 12	Wakefield
The Willows Sun 5th September
Hull	14 - 18	Leeds
The KC Stadium Sat 4th September
Catalans	12 - 26	Huddersfield
Stade Gilbert Brutus Sat 4th September
Crusaders	30 - 24	Hull K R
Racecourse Sat 4th September
St Helens	40 - 30	Castleford
GPW Recruitment Stadium Sat 4th September
Harlequins	22 - 36	Warrington
Twickenham Stoop Fri 3rd September

Pos	Name	P	W	D	L	Pts
1	Wigan	27	22	0	5	44
2	St Helens	27	20	0	7	40
3	Warrington	27	20	0	7	40
4	Leeds	27	17	1	9	35
5	Huddersfield	27	16	1	10	33
6	Hull FC	27	16	0	11	32
7	Hull K R	27	14	1	12	29
8	Crusaders	27	12	0	15	24
9	Castleford	27	11	0	16	22
10	Bradford	27	9	1	17	19
11	Wakefield	27	9	0	18	18
12	Salford	27	8	0	19	16
13	Harlequins	27	7	0	20	14
14	Catalans	27	6	0	21	12

Leigh	vs	Sheffield
Round: Play Offs Thu 2 Sep 19:30
Barrow	vs	Widnes
Round: Play Offs Sun 5 Sep 15:00
Featherstone	vs	Halifax
Round: Play Offs Thu 9 Sep 19:30
Barrow	vs	Sheffield
Round: Play Offs Fri 10 Sep 19:30
tbc	vs	tbc
Round: Final Sun 26 Sep

Whitehaven	26 - 12	Batley
Recreation Ground Sun 22nd August
Keighley	24 - 32	Widnes
Cougar Park Sun 22nd August
Featherstone	72 - 20	Barrow
Bigfellas Stadium Sun 22nd August
Toulouse	24 - 38	Halifax
Sat 21st August
Sheffield	29 - 28	Leigh
Don Valley Stadium Thu 19th August
Barrow	14 - 32	Widnes
Craven Park Wed 18th August

Pos	Name	P	W	D	L	Pts
1	Featherstone	20	18	0	2	56
2	Halifax	20	16	0	4	50
3	Leigh	20	12	1	7	43
4	Barrow	20	12	1	7	39
5	Widnes	20	11	0	9	38
6	Sheffield	20	10	1	9	35
7	Batley	20	7	0	13	29
8	Toulouse	20	8	0	12	27
9	Dewsbury	20	6	0	14	26
10	Whitehaven	20	4	0	16	16
11	Keighley *	20	4	1	15	10

Blackpool	vs	Workington
Round: Play Offs Sun 5 Sep 15:30
Rochdale	vs	S Wales
Round: Play Offs Sun 5 Sep 15:00
Oldham	vs	York
Round: Play Offs Sun 12 Sep 15:00
Blackpool	vs	Rochdale
Round: Play Offs Sun 12 Sep 15:00
tbc	vs	tbc
Round: Final Sun 26 Sep

London	18 - 48	Oldham
New River Stadium Fri 27th August
Hunslet	32 - 24	South
South Leeds Stadium Sun 22nd August
Rochdale	16 - 26	Blackpool
Spotland Stadium Sun 22nd August
Swinton	94 - 0	Gateshead
Sedgley Park Sun 22nd August
Doncaster	46 - 12	Workington
Keepoat Stadium Sun 22nd August
South	16 - 18	York
Sun 15th August

Pos	Name	P	W	D	L	Pts
1	Hunslet	20	18	0	2	55
2	Oldham	20	17	0	3	52
3	York	20	12	0	8	39
4	Blackpool	20	15	0	5	38
5	Rochdale	20	10	0	10	37
6	South	20	9	0	11	34
7	Workington	20	8	1	11	33
8	Swinton	20	9	1	10	33
9	Doncaster	20	8	0	12	28
10	London	20	2	0	18	10
11	Gateshead	20	1	0	19	-2

Batley	25 - 24	Widnes
Bloomfield Road Sun 18th July
Keighley	18 - 48	Widnes
Cougar Park Sun 20th June
Leigh	4 - 25	Batley
Leigh Sports Village Thu 17th June
Hunslet	6 - 42	Leigh
South Leeds Stadium Sun 6th June
Batley	26 - 16	Sheffield
Mount Pleasant Sun 6th June
Keighley	32 - 6	York
Cougar Park Sun 6th June

Pos	Name	P	W	L	Pts
1	Dragons	24	17	7	219
2	Panthers	24	15	9	156
3	Wests	24	15	9	34
4	Titans	24	15	9	22
5	Warriors	24	14	10	53
6	Roosters	24	14	10	49
7	Raiders	24	13	11	6
8	Sea Eagles	24	12	12	35
9	Rabbitohs	24	11	13	17
10	Broncos	24	11	13	-27
11	Knights	24	10	14	-70
12	Eels	24	10	14	-78
13	Bulldogs	24	9	15	-45
14	Sharks	24	7	17	-255
15	Cowboys	24	5	19	-242
16	Storm	24	14	10	126

Rabbitohs	vs	Titans
Finals Week 1 Sep 10 5:15pm Skilled Park
Cowboys	vs	Roosters
Finals Week 1 Sep 11 4:00pm Sydney Football Stadium
Bulldogs	vs	Raiders
Finals Week 1 Sep 11 6:00pm CUA Stadium, Penrith
Warriors	vs	Sea Eagles
Finals Week 1 Sep 12 1:30pm WIN Jubilee Stadium