A-Z of Leeds Rhinos – ‘F’ is for ...Firsts

The club’s first match under the new governing body was a 6-3 win at Leigh on September 7, J Bastow and H Parfitt being the try scorers.

Headingley’s maiden game of what is now rugby league was on September 21, R Walton scoring the only try in a 3-0 win over Brighouse.

The first silverware in the club’s trophy cabinet was the Yorkshire Senior Competition Shield, which Leeds won in 1901-02.

Leeds’ Challenge Cup debut was an 8-3 loss at Oldham in 1897 and they won a tie for the first time the following year, beating visitors Rochdale 20-0.

Leeds won the Challenge Cup for the first time in 1910, defeating Hull 26-12 in a replay, two days after a 7-7 draw.

The Loiners reached their first Championship final in 1915, losing 35-2 to Huddersfield and did not get their hands on the trophy until 1961, when Warrington were beaten 25-10 at Odsal.

That was also the first time Leeds had topped the league table.

An 11-3 victory over Dewsbury in 1921 was the first of Leeds’ 17 Yorkshire Cup triumphs.

Leeds were the first winners of the Premiership Trophy, beating St Helens in 1975.

First overseas Test players to appear for Leeds were: New Zealand, Joseph Lavery and Harold Rowe (1907); Australia, Joe ‘Chimpy’ Busch (1931); France, Patrick Entat (1994); Papua New Guinea, Marcus Bai (2005).

Kevin Rayne scored the club’s first four-point try in a 25-16 defeat at Oldham on August 21, 1983.

In Super League, Leeds’ opening match was a 22-16 loss to Warrington Wolves on March 31, 1996. Nick Fozzard scored their first try.

They broke their duck with a 36-22 win over Sheffield Eagles on April 21.

Rhinos lost to Wigan Warriors in the inaugural final and topped the table – also winning the trophy – for the first time six years later.

They were the first team to win three successive Grand Finals (2007-2009) and to lift the trophy from fifth place in the table (2011).

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