The 2009 campaign was arguably the best in Leeds Rhinos' history.
As in 1961, 1969, 1972 and 2004, they finished as league leaders before going on to win the Championship final, the successes of 2007 and 2008 being achieved from second spot on the table.
But engage Super League XIV was a more level competition e
ven than five years ago and to win it in the emphatic way they did was a wonderful achievement.
Leeds finished four points clear at the top of the table and were worthy and deserved victors at Old Trafford, where they overcame St Helens for the third successive year.
With four titles in six seasons, Rhinos are now the dominant force in British rugby league and this is the best era in the club's history. But this team can get better.
It's still a predominantly young side, the squad will be strengthened next year and they won the competition without playing at their best, other than in short, sharp bursts.
Rhinos were a forward short this season – having not replaced Gareth Ellis – and that told at times, but Greg Eastwood's long-delayed arrival should put that right next year.
Eastwood doesn't look like your typical Super League professional, but he's a line-breaker and he could be a huge fans' favourite in blue and amber.
In Brett Delaney, they have finally recruited the specialist centre they've been missing since Clinton Toopi's injury last year, though rugby union-bound Lee Smith, while still learning the role, has had a fine year, capped by a brilliant Grand Final and would have gone on to become a Test centre.
Danny Buderus should be fully fit for the start of the new campaign and in Kyle Amor, they have recruited a raw but talented prop, with massive potential.
Mid-season signing Jay Pitts will benefit from a full pre-season, so add those players into an already successful squad and Leeds can look ahead to 2010 with optimism.
Despite trailing Saints for most of the year, Rhinos were the best side over the course of the league season.
Their only real wobble came in March and April, a spell which saw them lose five out of seven matches in all competitions, including back-to-back home defeats by Salford City Reds and Harlequins.
Other than that, Rhinos were remarkably consistent.They lost only six out of 27 league matches, plus defeats by Manly Sea Eagles in the Carnegie World Club Challenge and Saints in the Challenge Cup.
A record of 24 wins from 32 matches in all competitions is an impressive one and Leeds finished the year on a run of eight straight victories, losing only two of their last 19 games.
When Leeds' attack clicked into gear, they were irrepressible, reflected in the fact they were top scorers in the regular Super League rounds, amassing 72 points more than nearest challengers Saints could manage.
They will, however, be disappointed that their defence slipped a little, to second-best in the division behind Huddersfield Giants.
Rhinos' most potent attacking threat was posed by their left-flank combination of young winger Ryan Hall and veteran centre Keith Senior.
Hall was switched from the right side at the start of the year, to play alongside an experienced partner, while Scott Donald moved the other way, alongside Smith, in his first season in the centres.
Donald took a while to adapt, before hitting form in the second half of the season. But Hall looked like a class act throughout, finishing with 32 tries for Leeds, earning his first Test cap and a place in the Super League Dream Team.
Senior was a superb mentor, during possibly his finest season for Leeds. Even at 33, he remains the best British centre and would have been this writer's choice for Man of Steel.
Sinfield had another influential year, landing his 1,000th goal for Leeds – becoming only the second player to do so – and finishing top kicker in Super League, again.
His man of the match performance in the Grand Final was outstanding.
Danny McGuire and Rob Burrow were again the best half-back pairing in the top-flight and England skipper Jamie Peacock was inspirational as ever, though his emphasis this year was on shorter, more explosive stints, rather than playing the full 80 every week.
Possibly Leeds' most improved player was Carl Ablett, who – despite having to fill in as a makeshift centre on occasions and stand-off once – is developing into a quality back-rower.
There were encouraging cameos from several youngsters, particularly hooker Paul McShane, who did well filling in for Danny Buderus and Matt Diskin at the start of the year and three-quarter Kallum Watkins.
Buderus had an unhappy first year at Leeds. He arrived carrying a biceps injury which saw him miss the first few games, then was sidelined for the final couple of months due to a broken leg.
Buderus showed glimpses of true class and was really starting to find his form when his season came to a premature halt, but he's close to being fully recovered now and with a full off-season behind him, could be set for a big year in 2010.
Rhinos' team spirit and will to win – evident in the astonishing last-gasp wins at Wakefield and home to Warrington – was the biggest feature of their season and that's what carried them through in the last, most important game.
Other teams would have crumbled, trailing 8-0 to Saints after less than half an hour. But this Leeds team don't know when they are beaten and the conviction that if they stuck to their guns, it would all come right never wavered.
Brian McClennan has guided Rhinos to Grand Final victories in each of his two seasons in charge and he deserves huge credit for the way he has managed the team.
One of McClennan's favourite sayings is that timing is everything – and Rhinos got theirs spot on.
