This article details the Leeds Rhinos 2009 Super League XIV season.
Notable moments
February February 6 – The Rhinos kick off their Super League season against the Crusaders, winning 28 – 6 at home. February 14 – It was announced that new signing Greg Eastwood had been denied a work visa to play for the Rhinos.
March March 1 – Leeds lose the World Club Challenge 20–28 to Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, at Elland Road. March 8 – Leeds beat Warrington Wolves 20–14 to maintain their place at the top of the Super League March 13 – Leeds beat Wigan Warriors 34–10 with an impressive performance to open up a two-point gap at the top the Super League. March 20 – Leeds lose their first league game of the season, to St Helens
April April 4 – Leeds are knocked out of the Challenge Cup in the fourth round by St Helens. April 10 – Bradford beat Leeds in the traditional Easter fixture. April 13 – Leeds' poor form continues, losing their third Super League fixture in four games, this time to Salford. April 18 – Leeds return to winning ways, beating Huddersfield away from home. April 24 – Leeds lose to Harlequins, almost being "nilled" for the first time in 11 years, narrowly avoiding this by scoring their only points with the last move of the game.
May
May 3 – Leeds' Magic Weekend fixture ends in a 16–36 win against Catalans May 15 – Leeds beat Castleford with the last kick of the match, a penalty conceded on 79:57 and converted after the hooter sounded. May 26 – Keith Senior scores twice in his 300th match for the Leeds Rhinos, who comfortably beat Hull FC at Headingley.
June June 6 – Leeds suffer only their second defeat at the hands of Catalans, going down 32–30 in Perpignan to a try awarded by the video referee after the full 80 minutes had elapsed. June 14 – Leeds regain second place in the table after beating Huddersfield.
July July 4 – Keith Senior plays and scores in his 500th professional match, away at Hull FC. July 17 – Leeds come from behind against Hull KR to end the weekend level on points at the top of the table with St Helens.
August August 14 – Leeds become the first team to score 70 or more points in Super League XIV, beating Castleford 76 – 12.
September September 4 – Rhinos beat St Helens 18–10 to go two points clear at the top of the table. September 11 – Leeds beat Salford 30–24 to win the League Leaders' Shield for the first time since 2004.
October
October 2 – Leeds Rhinos defeat Catalans Dragons 27–20 to progress to the Grand Final for the third year in a row.
October 10 – Leeds make history, being the first team to win three consecutive Super League Grand Finals, beating Saint Helens 18–10
2009 Squad As of 7 April 2009
NatNoPlayerPositionAppTriesGoalsDGPoints1Brent WebbFull-Back100002Scott DonaldWing000003Lee SmithCentre000004Keith SeniorCentre000005Ryan HallWing000006Danny McGuireStand-off000007Rob BurrowScrum-Half000008Kylie LeuluaiProp000009Danny BuderusHooker0000010Jamie PeacockProp0000011Jamie Jones-BuchananSecond-Row0000012Ali LauitiitiSecond-Row0000013Kevin Sinfield (C)Loose-Forward0000014Matt DiskinHooker0000015Michael RatuCentre0000016Ryan BaileyProp0000017Ian KirkeSecond-Row0000018Carl AblettSecond-Row0000019Luke BurgessProp0000020Ashley GibsonCentre0000021Simon WorrallSecond Row0000022Danny AllanLoose forward0000023Kallum WatkinsCentre0000024Ben Jones-BishopFull back0000026Paul McShaneHooker0000027Luke AmblerProp00000
2009 Player Signings/Transfers Gains Player Previous club Years signed Until the end of Danny Buderus Newcastle Knights 2 years Luke Ambler Salford City Reds 3 Years Losses Player Future Club Years signed Until the end of Nick Scruton Bradford Bulls 3 Years Clinton Toopi Bay of Plenty Steamers (Rugby Union) Released Ben Kaye Harlequins RL 3 years Jordan Tansey Sydney Roosters 2 Year Loan Danny Williams Newcastle Falcons Rugby Union 2 years Michael Haley Doncaster Dragons 1 year Jordan Tansey Hull F.C.
Coaching Set-Up NationalityStaff NamePositionBrian McClennanHead coachFrancis CumminsAssistant CoachWillie PochingAssistant CoachBarrie McDermottHead of Youth DevelopmentAleks GrossMatch AnalystBilly WattsTime-KeeperJason DavidsonHead ConditionerMeirion JonesHead PhysiotherapistRob WilsonMasseur
2009 Results
DateCompetitionRoundHomeScoreAwayResultVenueRefereeAttendanceNotes26/12/2008FriendlyN/A Leeds Rhinos16–22 Wakefield Trinity WildcatsLHeadingleyMatthew Thomason8,1432008 Boxing Day friendly19/01/2009FriendlyN/A Leeds Rhinos12–10 Salford City RedsWHodges StadiumBen ThalerFriendly held in Jacksonville, Florida.26/01/2009FriendlyN/A Leeds Rhinos16–20 Hull FCLHeadingleyGareth Hewer5,329Jamie Jones-Buchanan's testimonial game06/02/2009Super League XIV3 Leeds Rhinos28–6 CrusadersWHeadingleyBen Thaler14,827Round 3 played before round 1 to accommodate World Club Challenge fixture on Round 3 weekend13/02/2009Super League XIV1 Leeds Rhinos18–4 Wakefield Trinity WildcatsWHeadingleySteve Ganson15,64320/02/2009Super League XIV2 Hull Kingston Rovers10–19 Leeds RhinosWCraven ParkPhil Bentham8,62301/03/20092009 World Club ChallengeN/A Leeds Rhinos20–28 Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesLElland RoadJason Robinson32,56908/03/2009Super League XIV4 Warrington Wolves14–20 Leeds RhinosWHalliwell Jones StadiumSteve Ganson9,86313/03/2009Super League XIV5 Leeds Rhinos34–10 Wigan WarriorsWHeadingleyIan Smith17,67720/03/2009Super League XIV6 St Helens R.F.C.26–18 Leeds RhinosLGPW Recruitment StadiumPhil Bentham13,96627/03/2009Super League XIV7 Leeds Rhinos42–14 Catalans DragonsWHeadingleyBen Thaler13,42505/04/20092009 Challenge Cup4 Leeds Rhinos18–22 St Helens RLFCLHeadingleyPhil Bentham17,68910/04/2009Super League XIV8 Bradford Bulls10–6 Leeds RhinosLGrattan StadiumIan Smith14,55413/04/2009Super League XIV9 Leeds Rhinos20–30 Salford City RedsLHeadingleyJames Child14,38118/04/2009Super League XIV10 Huddersfield Giants4–34 Leeds RhinosWGalpharm StadiumRichard Silverwood11,59324/04/2009Super League XIV11 Leeds Rhinos4–21 Harlequins RLLHeadingleySteve Ganson13,91203/05/2009Super League XIV12 Catalans Dragons16–36 Leeds RhinosWMurrayfield StadiumThierry Alibert30,122*Magic Weekend fixture15/05/2009Super League XIV13 Castleford Tigers22–24 Leeds RhinosWThe JungleIan Smith8,08226/05/2009Super League XIV14 Leeds Rhinos46–16 Hull FCWHeadingleyThierry Alibert15,92906/06/2009Super League XIV15 Catalans Dragons32–30 Leeds RhinosLStade Gilbert BrutusSteve Ganson7,91314/06/2009Super League XIV16 Leeds Rhinos20–12 Huddersfield GiantsWHeadingleyThierry Alibert14,93420/06/2009Super League XIV17 Harlequins RL14–48 Leeds RhinosWTwickenham StoopIan Smith4,37826/06/2009Super League XIV18 Leeds Rhinos33–20 Bradford BullsWHeadingleyPhil Bentham17,82404/07/2009Super League XIV19 Hull FC30–43 Leeds RhinosWKC StadiumIan Smith11,78010/07/2009Super League XIV20 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats30–32 Leeds RhinosWBelle VueSteve Ganson6,42517/07/2009Super League XIV21 Leeds Rhinos24–12 Hull Kingston RoversWHeadingleyBen Thaler16,19224/07/2009Super League XIV22 Wigan Warriors28–10 Leeds RhinosLJJB StadiumPhil Bentham20,29501/08/2009Super League XIV23 Leeds Rhinos24–22 Warrington WolvesWHeadingleyIan Smith13,38614/08/2009Super League XIV24 Leeds Rhinos76–12 Castleford TigersWHeadingleyBen Thaler16,93122/08/2009Super League XIV25 Celtic Crusaders0–68 Leeds RhinosWBrewery FieldThierry Alibert5,59704/09/2009Super League XIV26 Leeds Rhinos18–10 St Helens RLFCWHeadingleyPhil Bentham19,99711/09/2009Super League XIV27 Salford City Reds24–30 Leeds RhinosWThe WillowsThierry Alibert6,10118/09/2009Super League XIVQPO1 Leeds Rhinos44–8 Hull Kingston RoversWHeadingleySteve Ganson11,22002/10/2009Super League XIVQSF1 Leeds Rhinos27–20 Catalans DragonsWHeadingleyRichard Silverwood13,409
* Aggregate attendance for second day of Magic Weekend.
League table
References