Leeds Rhinos Jury: Rohan Smith's magic hat, Grand Final confidence, what a night at Wigan

After last week’s stunning semi-final win at Wigan Warriors, confidence is high for Saturday’s Old Trafford date with St Helens.

Can Rhinos shock the league leaders and win it from fifth again? Our fans’ panel thinks so.

JOSH MORROW

What a win and what a team! Back at Easter most of us would have been happy with finishing in the top 10.

The effort the team has put in, led by coach Rohan Smith, has been outstanding. For me, the fitness of the players is the key as they can defend for three or four sets at a time which has been vital in getting to the final.

Jarrod O’Connor was great yet again, excellent in defence and he seems to always make the right call.

A sure start for the final in my book, the balance it gives the team allowing Kruise Leeming

to come on in the second half when he’s fresh seems to be working.

Two players who have had tough times this year are Zane Tetevano and James Bentley. That hit by Tetevano set the tone for the game and his tireless work with the ball in the last few games. Barring Joe Batchelor, Bentley has arguably been the form back-rower in the competition and it will be a great clash at Old Trafford.

Saints start the game as favourites, but I think Leeds will sneak it. Saints have been sputtering their way through the last few games and play-offs while Leeds are bang in form.

KENDLE HARDISTY

After the start to the season the Rhinos had, I never thought we’d be anywhere near the play-offs, never mind a Grand Final.

Wigan hadn’t lost all season at home so the odds were already against us. The lads put a solid performance in and James Bentley had his best game in the blue and amber.

As a fan, we still have no idea what Rohan Smith has done/said to the players, but they are playing with freedom, passion and it’s clearly working.

It never gets boring watching Rhinos against Saints in a Grand Final. Saints are worthy finalists and have been the best team all year without a doubt. Leeds have done it from fifth and can quite easily beat anyone on their day.

Losing Aiden Sezer and Morgan Gannon for the final is a massive loss for the team. All year the lads have had to adapt with bans and injuries so players will need to step up. It would be our biggest and most surprising Grand Final victory if the lads can pull it off.

KHYA GOTT

The atmosphere at the DW on Friday was next level. From before the game to the celebrations, the packed out away end enjoyed that one!

Despite losing at the break, the first half was really good for Leeds. Bodies on the line and lots of pressure from Wigan, but that defensive line, the backing each other and working hard for each other to keep it to a two-point difference, was vital for the second-half attacking side of the game.

In the second half, when we could have been tiring, we came out fighting from the offset. And it worked!

Wigan were out of options at the break and we were just getting started. The red card, albeit an awful challenge, was clearly an accident. But it’s a shame Sezer will now miss the final as a result of failing his head assessment following that tackle.

Anyway, it was a great day all round, and now, we are going all the way to Old Trafford.

Let’s pull together as a team one last time and win the Grand Final from fifth.

TOM RHODES

What a club the Leeds Rhinos are. Back in April we were second from bottom and none of us in our wildest dreams thought we would be in the Grand Final come the end of the season.

On Friday night that North Stand in Wigan was rocking after watching the team grind out nothing but pure defence all the way through the first half.

The second half was much different to the first, such a great performance by that fine young man we got from Widnes, Jarrod O’Conner, spotting that gap in Wigan’s defence, taking us into the lead and gaining us confidence for the rest of the second half, allowing James Bentley to grab two tries.

What a changed player Bentley has become from the start of the season when he was giving away penalties left, right and centre. Now he is a key cog in this mighty machine.

Looking ahead to the Grand Final against St Helens, hopefully they might still have some players out still due to injury and, if the match review panel are consistent, a couple of bans. Can we beat St Helens for a fifth time at Old Trafford? I certainly hope we do.

IAIN SHARP

As you read this, government scientists (probably in that secret bunker under the Channel 4 building on City Square) are investigating the properties of Rohan Smith’s baseball cap. After last Friday night’s win at Wigan, there is now conclusive proof that the hat is indeed ‘Magic’.

Hopefully, the hat’s powers will be turned to sorting out the other great problems of the day, such as inflation, the energy crisis and of course, the match review panel.

All thoughts turn to Old Trafford and far be it from me to point out that the last time I wrote one of these columns for the YEP was in 2017 …

Echoing the reflective mood of the nation, it has been five long years in the wilderness since the last Grand Final. Maybe like me, who has been around the block a few times, you’ve got good mates who were there then, but are no longer with us now and thoughts turn to their

absence. They’d have loved the turn around this season.

Win or lose on Saturday, be magnanimous in the outcome and if we do achieve ‘the miracle’, then be sure to celebrate as if it is the best ever.

OLIVER LIMON

An army of Blue and Amber travelled to DW Stadium in anticipation of a classic.

Wigan started with a try for Liam Marshall. There was not much joy in the first half as Wigan dominated, but Leeds’ granite defence held the line firm.

Leeds managed two points to hit back and in the second stanza, Jarrod O’Connor Jack-in-a-boxed out of dummy-half to slide over and Zak Hardaker goaled.

Aidan Sezer then put a delightful kick in for James Bentley to score, Hardaker kicked the two.

John Bateman saw red after a dangerous tackle on Sezer. Jai Field looked all the world a scorer but for a sensational cover tackle from Richie Myler. Leeds countered and a composed Cameron Smith sent Bentley in for the match winner.

This was the start of the Wigan walk. Wigan scored a consolation with a couple minutes left on the board.

Not in my wildest dreams did I think this was possible when we were almost rock bottom of Super League. All credit to the players and coaching team.

It will take an almighty effort to overcome a champion Saints side. However, the dream is alive and kicking and we are 80 minutes away from Grand Final immortality again.