Magic moments: Leeds Rhinos' top-10 hightlights from 2022

The transformation under new coach Rohan Smith, who took charge in May, led them all the way to Old Trafford before St Helens proved too strong in the Betfred Super League Grand Final.

There were some memorable on-field moments along the way and here’s the YEP’s top-10.

10: First half rout. After three successive defeats, Rhinos played some outstanding attacking rugby to go 30-0 up at half-time away to Wakefield Trinity in March, en-route to a 34-18 win which broke their duck.

9: Mustapha’s try. In a rare appearance, substitute Muizz Mustapha scored a powerful late try to complete a shock 42-12 demolition of high-flying Wigan Warriors at Headingley in July.

8: Handley goes nap. Winger Ash Handley became only the fourth Rhinos player - after Danny McGuire twice, Ali Lauitiiti and Ryan Hall - to score five tries in a game as Leeds raced to a record 62-16 win at Hull in July.

7: Austin brings the house down. The roof lifted off the South Stand in August when Blake Austin ran a superb line on to Brad Dwyer’s pass to win the game for Leeds after Huddersfield Giants had led by two points with less than three minutes remaining.

6: Martin’s golden boot. Rhyse Martin hit a post with a relatively straightforward conversion attempt against Castleford at July’s Magic Weekend. He played in nine of Rhinos’ 12 games after that and didn’t miss a kick, setting a Super League/NRL record with 38 consecutive goals. When he was suspended, Zak Hardaker stood in and landed 12 from 13.

5: Late show against Tigers. Leeds were five minutes away from not qualifying for the play-offs, when they trailed against Castleford in September’s final round shoot-out at Headingley. After one of the worst games seen in the summer era, Rhinos managed to level the scores out of the blue through a Kruise Leeming try converted by Rhyse Martin and then Aidan Sezer crossed on the last play to win it.

4: Sinfield’s debut. A famous name returned to Leeds’ teamsheet in April when, along with fellow 17-year-old Max Simpson, half-back Jack Sinfield made his first team debut, seven years after his dad Kevin’s final appearance.

3: Old Trafford return. They were second-best on the night, but being back on the biggest stage was a huge step forward for Rhinos and very unexpected after events earlier in the season. The noise from the Leeds end when the team came out to warm up was spine-tingling.

2: Full-time at Wigan. Rhinos booked a first return to Old Trafford since 2017 by ending Wigan Warriors’ 100 per cent home record in September’s Super League semi-final. Rhinos hit back from 4-2 down at the break through a try by Jarrod O’Connor and two from James Bentley, sparking epic celebrations in front of 4,000 away fans.

1: Fightback in France. Rhinos trailed Catalans Dragons 30-6 when Matt Prior was sent-off with 26 minutes remaining of July’s encounter in Perpignan. Remarkably, the 12-man visitors staged Leeds’ greatest-ever comeback to take the game into extra-time before Aidan Sezer’s golden-point try sealed a stunning 36-32 win.