https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/ceqy3jxzlygo
I was at the game at home, headingley last week when we beat Hull KR, the best team in the competition and six points clear at the top of the table. I think Brad Arthur, the best coach in the the competition in my opinion, announcing that he will be here next year has put a further spring in his step of the team. Probably the best performance of the season and I was fortunate to have witnessed it. They didn't just beat Hull KR they dominated and put a decent number of points on them. It is evident that the team is peaking at the right time of the season. Today we nilled Hull FC and put 34 points on them. It's a competition to see who finishes where but we could be second or at least third. Second is a great advantage in the playoffs giving us home advantage and hopefully a week off. I believe we will make the grand final. It's a bold prediction and I think Jake Connor will be crowned man of steel as the best player in the competition throughout the year. And I believe we can beat anyone. I'm not saying everyday but on our day we can. If we do get there; and I shouldn't be counting chickens before they hatch but should we make the final I'd back us. Against Hull KR, Wigan or Saints and I think it will be one of the three. I found it much more tiring than I ever have before. The drive. Parking and walking to the ground. Stood there for a few hours is a lot for a 60 year old. It was worth it but I'll be glad of the seat if we make old Trafford. I don't want to jinx it but I've just got the feeling it's our year. On fan forums I was the only person virtually that was a supporter of the Jake Connor signing. To me it seemed a genius idea. Leeds have lacked that little bit of the dark arts. Since Danny McGuire left there was no one who would argue with the referee. Just put a little indecision in the back of his mind. As a fan watching him play against us he was so irritating. But Arthur has managed to reel in his dirty touches and given him the freedom to run the team and he was fantastic today. One man pulling all the strings. And he didn't over complicate it. Just the touch of chess, the little bit that no one could see coming, a kick that disrupted even the most well drilled of defences. Its a strange sport rugby league. Barely known of beyond the M62 corridor and Australia and the islands around there where it is, certainly in Australia and Papua New Guinea, the national game. It's a simple game. Often referred to as chess with muscles and I get that. A big part of the game is to be the toughest, fittest team to overpower the opposition but get beyond the forwards battle and you see the spine of the team that put the fastest athletes in to scoring positions. I've grown up on it. My dad taking me to watch Leeds RL at Headingley from a young age. It has changed massively over the years but it remains something close to a religion for me and I'm sure many other people. For sure it's shit when you're team are crap. We didn't win the championship for 32 years. But the wait was worth it and the elation all the greater for the fallow years. In 2004 when the 32 year wait was over I had no clue that we were entering a golden age. I went to Old Trafford eight times and it came to feel almost normal though never less special to win. 2017 we won under strange circumstances. Castleford had played best all year but their full back Zack Hardaker, ex Leeds player failed a drug test. Whether that changed things, surely a bit. But Danny McGuire won the game in such style. His last game for Leeds and Rob Burrows last too.
Since then we had a freak final appearance and were soundly beaten. See what happens eh?
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