Golden Generation part 1 - looking back at Leeds Rhinos' Super League Grand Final heroes

Only three of those are still at the club and this year's squad includes only one member of the side which beat Wigan Warriors at Old Trafford in 2015 to complete an historic treble of all major domestic trophies.

Over the next two weeks, we will be remembering every player to feature for Leeds in a Grand Final victory, where they came from and what was next after their Rhinos career.

We start with 13 players from Ablett to Donald.

The next group of players, from Ellis to Leuluai, will be featured tomorrow (Wednesday).

Carl Ablett: A Rhinos academy product, Ablett played in all of Leeds’ title wins from 2007 onwards - scoring in 2011 and 2012 - and holds the record for most Grand Final appearances without defeat. He retired at the end of 2019 and now runs his own plumbing and heating business.

Marcus Bai: The Papua New Guinea winger was signed from Melbourne Storm in 2004 and appeared in Rhinos’ Grand Final win that year. He moved on to Bradford Bulls in 2016 and now lives in Australia.

Ryan Bailey: The Leeds academy graduate played in Rhinos’ first six title triumphs. After leaving at the end of 2014, he had spells with Hull KR, Castleford Tigers and Warrington Wolves, plus several lower-division clubs and retired in 2019.

Tom Briscoe: Signed in 2014, the former Hull man scored a brace of tries in the 2017 title win, having also featured two years earlier. He remains one of Rhinos’ first-choice wingers.

Danny Buderus: The ex-Australia captain joined Rhinos in 2009 from Newcastle Knights, but missed that year’s Grand Final through injury. He hit top form in 2011 and the surprise Old Trafford win over St Helens was his final game for the club before a playing swansong at the Knights, where he is now general manager of football.

Luke Burgess: Having come through Rhinos’ system, Burgess was a substitute in Leeds’ 2009 title victory. He left to join South Sydney midway through 2011, later played for Manly Sea Eagles and finished his career with two spells at Salford Red Devils either side of a stint with Catalans Dragons. He now lives in Australia and is managing director of a clothing label - with his brothers - and strategic engagement executive at South Sydney.

Rob Burrow: An eight-time Grand Final champion - twice as man of the match and scorer of a sensational try in 2011 - Burrow’s final game was at Old Trafford in 2017. He joined Rhinos’ coaching staff, but was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019.

Mark Calderwood: The pacy winger came through Rhinos’ youth ranks and was a key member of the 2004 title-winning side. After rejecting a new contract at Leeds in 2005, he went on to play for Wigan Warriors, Hull, Harlequins and Workington Town and more recently turned out for Farnley Falcons and union side West Leeds, while working as a builder.

Chris Clarkson: The Leeds academy product left the club four years after collecting a Grand Final ring in 2011. He had spells with Widnes Vikings, Hull KR and Castleford, and signed for York City Knights last year.

Adam Cuthbertson: A Man of Steel nominee in his debut 2015 season, the former Newcastle Knights prop was also part of the 2017 title-winning side, as well as coaching Rhinos’ women to four honours in two years. He left Leeds to join York City Knights at the end of last season.

Brett Delaney: A Grand Final winner in 2011, 2012 and 2015, the Aussie signed for Rhinos from Gold Coast Titans in 2010. He joined Featherstone Rovers at the end of 2018, but a serious facial injury forced his retirement early the following season. He now works for Rhinos’ foundation and is Leeds’ assistant academy coach.

Matt Diskin: Grand Final man of the match and try scorer in 2004, the academy product also played in Leeds’ title wins from 2007-2009, touching down in the latter. He moved to Bradford in 2010, had a spell in charge of Batley Bulldogs and is now coach at Oldham.

Scott Donald: Signed from Manly in 2006, the winger scored a sensational long-range try against St Helens in 2007 and featured in each of the ‘three-peat’ victories. He left Leeds at the end of 2010 to join the police force in Australia and was part of the Aussie squad for that profession’s World Cup in 2013.

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