At last, after a dull winter in which nothing really happened, the engage Super League is back!
Not only will the best Rugby League teams that England has to offer battle it out for a place in the Grand Final at Old Trafford, but the finest that the French can throw at us will also be having a pop.
For my team, Leeds Rhinos, it was back to the normal routine last season. After the unusual scenario of being Champions in 2004, it was back to being the Leeds of old.
We got to the Challenge Cup Final, and came 2nd. We finished 2nd in the league and in the Grand Final, we also finished 2nd. After an anomaly in 2004, normal service had been resumed, although we did win the World Championship.
Whenever possible, we'll follow the Rhinos. Home & Away, whatever the weather. Going to the great and not-so great grounds that the league has to offer. Whilst you football fans might be bragging about how you went to the San Siro in Milan and the Nou Camp in Barcelona in the beautiful sunshine, I'll be standing in the pi**ing rain on a terrace in Leigh, but it's still brilliant.
Today, the first game of the new season was hopefully a sign of things to come, with a reasonable victory over Huddersfield Giants at Headingley (although we’re now supposed to call it ‘Headingley Carnegie Stadium’) I say reasonable, Leeds ran out 20-12 winners against what will probably be a mid-table side. The result was good and some things worked well, although it was the first game of the season with a number of new players making their debuts, so there were understandably a few mistakes thrown in there. A good result with improvements certainly on the way.
Next Friday, it’s onto the JJB Stadium in Wigan to take on the Warriors. The first of many journeys over the M62 for our mini-supporters club, all crammed tightly into a Citroen Saxo. It’ll be a difficult game. Wigan is always a difficult place to go, especially after their defeat against the new boys from France, Les Catalans on Saturday.
The games don’t get any easier either. The week after, we’re off the St Helens to play the favourites. Hopefully they’ll be a repeat of the joyous scenes as Leeds booked their place in last season’s Grand Final with a win at Knowsley Road but regardless of the result, it should be a belting game.
After that, it’s a ‘should-win’ against local rivals Castleford before we jet of to Perpignan as the Rhinos 2006 tour heads to Europe!
Bring on the season!
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