My favourite match - Leeds Rhinos legend Danny McGuire recalls the 2017 Grand Final

The East Leeds product is Super League’s most prolific try scorer and the fourth-highest in Leeds’ history, having touched down 267 times in 424 appearances from 2001 to 2017.

Two of those tries came in his final Leeds match, when McGuire captained Rhinos to a shock 24-6 victory over league leaders Castleford Tigers which secured their eighth Super League title.

McGuire played in all Leeds’ Grand Final wins - scoring tries in four of them, as well as their 2005 defeat - and also featured in three World Club Challenge victories and two Challenge Cup successes.

It was a glittering career with no shortage of memorable moments, but the triumph three years ago is the one he recalls most fondly “just because of everything that came with it”.

Having fought a relegation battle the previous year, when McGuire was plagued by injury, Rhinos finished second in the 2017 table, 10 points behind Tigers who had beaten them four times - including a 66-10 drubbing at the Jungle in March.

In July, McGuire confirmed he would be leaving Rhinos at the end of the season to join Hull KR on a two-year deal.

His form after that was as good as at any time during his Leeds career and he played a key role in Rhinos’ march to Old Trafford, which gave him an opportunity to finish on a perfect note.

He said: “I had been at the club since I was 12, over 20 years and I had an opportunity to captain my team in a Grand Final and win and get man of the match, any player would take that.

“With the magnitude of the game and all the emotions, I was probably the most nervous I have ever been for a game. To be able to go out and play well - and obviously the team played great - makes it even more memorable.”

It was also Rob Burrow’s final match for Leeds, before retirement. The duo took centre stage at the end and McGuire recalled: “To get to lift the trophy with my little mate was special.

“It was something I had thought about the night before, but not mentioned to Rob, us holding up the trophy together.

“When you are thinking about the game and hoping you get the right result, I just thought that would be a great way for us to sign off.

“The day could not have gone any better: man of the match, a couple of tries and the team winning, it’s probably the best day of my career.”

Leeds went into the game as underdogs, but that was nothing new.

McGuire recalled: “I don’t think we were favourites in any of the Grand Finals, except maybe 2009.

“I think that’s the beauty of the Grand Final, it really is about that performance on the day.

“It’s a different environment and there’s always a different feel to the game, it’s an edgy game and nervy.

“Cas played some great footy that year, they were chucking the ball about and scoring fantastic tries, but it is a defensive game, the Grand Final.

“You have to have the best defensive attitude, it’s the ones who work for each other and are prepared to go for 80 minutes who win it, nine times out of 10.

“You have to take your opportunities as well and we had a team that whenever we got opportunities, we took them.

“That’s the type of game Grand Finals are.”

McGuire also kicked two drop goals, but perhaps his most vital contribution was a try-saving tackle on Greg Eden when Leeds led only 6-0.

He said “I have watched the game back a few times - I know that’s a bit sad - and every time I go upstairs my little lad’s got it on and is watching it so I do see that moment quite a bit.

“There’s moments in games that change the momentum and swing the game in your favour and I suppose that was probably as crucial as the other involvements.

I am pretty proud of that - I have probably not been known for my defence, but you have got to do your bit for the team.”

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