2009 Leeds Rhinos season

2009 Leeds Rhinos season
Super League XIV champions
Super League XIV Rank1st
Play-off resultWon Grand Final
(St Helens R.F.C., 18–10)
Challenge CupLost fourth round
(St Helens RLFC, 18–22)
World Club ChallengeLost Final
(Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, 20–28)
2009 recordWins: 21; draws: 0; losses: 8
Points scoredFor: 805; against: 435
Team information
ChairmanPaul Caddick
Head coachBrian McClennan
Captains
StadiumHeadingley Stadium
Avg. attendance15,312
High attendance19,997
(St Helens RLFC, 4 September)
Top scorers
TriesRyan Hall (31)
GoalsKevin Sinfield (116)
PointsKevin Sinfield (225)
← 2008 List of seasons 2010 →

This article details the Leeds Rhinos 2009 Super League XIV season.

Notable moments

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February

[edit]
  • 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.[1]

March

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  • 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

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  • 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

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The Leeds Rhinos in action against Hull FC, May 2009.
  • 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

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  • August 14 – Leeds become the first team to score 70 or more points in Super League XIV, beating Castleford 76 – 12.

September

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  • 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

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Leeds Rhinos leave the pitch victorious after progressing to the Superleague Grand Final.
  • October 2 – Leeds Rhinos defeat Catalans Dragons 27–20 to progress to the Grand Final for the third year in a row.
Leeds celebrate winning the 2009 Super League Grand Final
  • October 10 – Leeds make history, being the first team to win three consecutive Super League Grand Finals, beating Saint Helens 18–10

2009 Squad

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As of 7 April 2009

Nat No Player Position App Tries Goals DG Points
New Zealand 1 Brent Webb Full-Back 1 0 0 0 0
Australia 2 Scott Donald Wing 0 0 0 0 0
England 3 Lee Smith Centre 0 0 0 0 0
England 4 Keith Senior Centre 0 0 0 0 0
England 5 Ryan Hall Wing 0 0 0 0 0
England 6 Danny McGuire Stand-off 0 0 0 0 0
England 7 Rob Burrow Scrum-Half 0 0 0 0 0
Samoa 8 Kylie Leuluai Prop 0 0 0 0 0
Australia 9 Danny Buderus Hooker 0 0 0 0 0
England 10 Jamie Peacock Prop 0 0 0 0 0
England 11 Jamie Jones-Buchanan Second-Row 0 0 0 0 0
Samoa 12 Ali Lauitiiti Second-Row 0 0 0 0 0
England 13 Kevin Sinfield (C) Loose-Forward 0 0 0 0 0
England 14 Matt Diskin Hooker 0 0 0 0 0
Fiji 15 Michael Ratu Centre 0 0 0 0 0
Jamaica 16 Ryan Bailey Prop 0 0 0 0 0
England 17 Ian Kirke Second-Row 0 0 0 0 0
England 18 Carl Ablett Second-Row 0 0 0 0 0
England 19 Luke Burgess Prop 0 0 0 0 0
England 20 Ashley Gibson Centre 0 0 0 0 0
England 21 Simon Worrall Second Row 0 0 0 0 0
England 22 Danny Allan Loose forward 0 0 0 0 0
England 23 Kallum Watkins Centre 0 0 0 0 0
England 24 Ben Jones-Bishop Full back 0 0 0 0 0
England 26 Paul McShane Hooker 0 0 0 0 0
Republic of Ireland 27 Luke Ambler Prop 0 0 0 0 0

2009 Player Signings/Transfers

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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

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Nationality Staff Name Position
New Zealand Brian McClennan Head coach
England Francis Cummins Assistant Coach
Samoa Willie Poching Assistant Coach
England Barrie McDermott Head of Youth Development
Slovakia Aleks Gross Match Analyst
England Billy Watts Time-Keeper
England Jason Davidson Head Conditioner
Wales Meirion Jones Head Physiotherapist
England Rob Wilson Masseur

2009 Results

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Date Competition Round Home Score Away Result Venue Referee Attendance Notes
26/12/2008 Friendly N/A Leeds Rhinos 16–22 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats L Headingley Matthew Thomason 8,143 2008 Boxing Day friendly
19/01/2009 Friendly N/A Leeds Rhinos 12–10 Salford City Reds W Hodges Stadium Ben Thaler Friendly held in Jacksonville, Florida.
26/01/2009 Friendly N/A Leeds Rhinos 16–20 Hull FC L Headingley Gareth Hewer 5,329 Jamie Jones-Buchanan's testimonial game
06/02/2009 Super League XIV 3 Leeds Rhinos 28–6 Crusaders W Headingley Ben Thaler 14,827 Round 3 played before round 1 to accommodate World Club Challenge fixture on Round 3 weekend
13/02/2009 Super League XIV 1 Leeds Rhinos 18–4 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats W Headingley Steve Ganson 15,643
20/02/2009 Super League XIV 2 Hull Kingston Rovers 10–19 Leeds Rhinos W Craven Park Phil Bentham 8,623
01/03/2009 2009 World Club Challenge N/A Leeds Rhinos 20–28 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles L Elland Road Jason Robinson 32,569
08/03/2009 Super League XIV 4 Warrington Wolves 14–20 Leeds Rhinos W Halliwell Jones Stadium Steve Ganson 9,863
13/03/2009 Super League XIV 5 Leeds Rhinos 34–10 Wigan Warriors W Headingley Ian Smith 17,677
20/03/2009 Super League XIV 6 St Helens R.F.C. 26–18 Leeds Rhinos L GPW Recruitment Stadium Phil Bentham 13,966
27/03/2009 Super League XIV 7 Leeds Rhinos 42–14 Catalans Dragons W Headingley Ben Thaler 13,425
05/04/2009 2009 Challenge Cup 4 Leeds Rhinos 18–22 St Helens RLFC L Headingley Phil Bentham 17,689
10/04/2009 Super League XIV 8 Bradford Bulls 10–6 Leeds Rhinos L Grattan Stadium Ian Smith 14,554
13/04/2009 Super League XIV 9 Leeds Rhinos 20–30 Salford City Reds L Headingley James Child 14,381
18/04/2009 Super League XIV 10 Huddersfield Giants 4–34 Leeds Rhinos W Galpharm Stadium Richard Silverwood 11,593
24/04/2009 Super League XIV 11 Leeds Rhinos 4–21 Harlequins RL L Headingley Steve Ganson 13,912
03/05/2009 Super League XIV 12 Catalans Dragons 16–36 Leeds Rhinos W Murrayfield Stadium Thierry Alibert 30,122* Magic Weekend fixture
15/05/2009 Super League XIV 13 Castleford Tigers 22–24 Leeds Rhinos W The Jungle Ian Smith 8,082
26/05/2009 Super League XIV 14 Leeds Rhinos 46–16 Hull FC W Headingley Thierry Alibert 15,929
06/06/2009 Super League XIV 15 Catalans Dragons 32–30 Leeds Rhinos L Stade Gilbert Brutus Steve Ganson 7,913
14/06/2009 Super League XIV 16 Leeds Rhinos 20–12 Huddersfield Giants W Headingley Thierry Alibert 14,934
20/06/2009 Super League XIV 17 Harlequins RL 14–48 Leeds Rhinos W Twickenham Stoop Ian Smith 4,378
26/06/2009 Super League XIV 18 Leeds Rhinos 33–20 Bradford Bulls W Headingley Phil Bentham 17,824
04/07/2009 Super League XIV 19 Hull FC 30–43 Leeds Rhinos W KC Stadium Ian Smith 11,780
10/07/2009 Super League XIV 20 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 30–32 Leeds Rhinos W Belle Vue Steve Ganson 6,425
17/07/2009 Super League XIV 21 Leeds Rhinos 24–12 Hull Kingston Rovers W Headingley Ben Thaler 16,192
24/07/2009 Super League XIV 22 Wigan Warriors 28–10 Leeds Rhinos L JJB Stadium Phil Bentham 20,295
01/08/2009 Super League XIV 23 Leeds Rhinos 24–22 Warrington Wolves W Headingley Ian Smith 13,386
14/08/2009 Super League XIV 24 Leeds Rhinos 76–12 Castleford Tigers W Headingley Ben Thaler 16,931
22/08/2009 Super League XIV 25 Celtic Crusaders 0–68 Leeds Rhinos W Brewery Field Thierry Alibert 5,597
04/09/2009 Super League XIV 26 Leeds Rhinos 18–10 St Helens RLFC W Headingley Phil Bentham 19,997
11/09/2009 Super League XIV 27 Salford City Reds 24–30 Leeds Rhinos W The Willows Thierry Alibert 6,101
18/09/2009 Super League XIV QPO1 Leeds Rhinos 44–8 Hull Kingston Rovers W Headingley Steve Ganson 11,220
02/10/2009 Super League XIV QSF1 Leeds Rhinos 27–20 Catalans Dragons W Headingley Richard Silverwood 13,409

* Aggregate attendance for second day of Magic Weekend.

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Leeds Rhinos (L, C) 27 21 0 6 805 453 +352 42 Play-offs
2 St Helens 27 19 0 8 733 466 +267 38
3 Huddersfield Giants 27 18 0 9 690 416 +274 36
4 Hull Kingston Rovers 27 17 1 9 650 516 +134 35
5 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 27 16 0 11 685 609 +76 32
6 Wigan Warriors 27 15 0 12 659 551 +108 30
7 Castleford Tigers 27 14 0 13 645 702 −57 28
8 Catalans Dragons 27 13 0 14 613 660 −47 26
9 Bradford Bulls 27 12 1 14 653 668 −15 25
10 Warrington Wolves 27 12 0 15 649 705 −56 24
11 Harlequins 27 11 0 16 591 691 −100 22
12 Hull F.C. 27 10 0 17 502 623 −121 20
13 Salford City Reds 27 7 0 20 456 754 −298 14
14 Celtic Crusaders 27 3 0 24 357 874 −517 6
Source: Rugby League Project
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champions; (L) League Leaders' Shield Winners

References

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  1. ^ "Leeds star Eastwood denied visa". BBC News. 18 March 2009. Archived from the original on 19 February 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009.