Kruise Leeming channels Billy Bremner in bid to guide Leeds Rhinos to Grand Final glory

The tenacious midfielder stayed true to that doctrine throughout his long stay at the club and the results spoke for themselves.

His philosophy lives on at Elland Road and even across the city in Headingley.

A World Cup hopeful and a regular starter, Leeds Rhinos skipper Kruise Leeming has found himself on the bench during the play-offs.

But rather than feeling sorry for himself at a crucial stage of the Super League season, Leeming is embracing the challenge of shaping games when they are in the balance.

"What Rohan (Smith) has brought in is that it's not about him, me or anybody else; it's about the badge and Leeds Rhinos," he told The Yorkshire Post ahead of today's Grand Final against St Helens.

"It's working. If you would have told me a few weeks ago that I would be in a Grand Final coming off the bench, I would have snapped your hand off.

"The fact it's working and I'm playing in a Grand Final is enough vindication.

"It's side before self. Even though I'm coming off the bench, there's still a massive role to play and a huge part of the game that needs closing out.

"It's not like I'm going out doing any less of a job; it's still an important role."

Whether he starts or is used as an impact sub, Leeming could become only the third Leeds captain to lift the Super League trophy at Old Trafford.

Following in the footsteps of club greats Kevin Sinfield and Danny McGuire would complete a remarkable journey that initially took the 27-year-old from Lobamba to Siddal.

"It's brought back some nice memories of where I started when I was young," he said at Thursday's press event at Old Trafford.

"This is the end goal and what you wanted to do as a kid. You watch these Grand Finals on TV and think, 'Wow, one day I wouldn't mind playing in one of those'. I'm lucky enough to get the chance to do it.

"For a lad who grew up in Swaziland, came to England and started rugby league late at 12 or 13, to play one Super League game is unbelievable. To captain such a great club like Leeds is even better but to lift a trophy in a Grand Final, I can't even imagine."

An avid follower as a fan in his early years, Leeming has been unable to watch the Old Trafford decider since he joined the professional ranks.

"I hate watching them," added the former Huddersfield Giants hooker. "I don't watch Grand Finals.

"My mates are all rugby fans and always watch me play. We're usually in a bar abroad during the off-season and it's always on in the background but I struggle to watch it.

"It's because I'd rather be there. I'd always watch it thinking about what could have been.

"Nine times out of 10 it's teams that we've beaten earlier in the year. When you see them get to a Grand Final it's so annoying and frustrates me so I don't watch them."

Leeming has reached the Grand Final at the 10th attempt, a triumph of perseverance.

As three-peat champions St Helens set the pace, the Rhinos were scrapping with Toulouse Olympique at the bottom of Super League.

"To say we'd have been playing in a Grand Final at that point, you would have got some funny looks," said Leeming.

"But I always had confidence in the team. When you look down from one to 30, it's a squad capable of winning something.

"We were working so hard. I was saying at the time that we were nearly there and doing A, B and C really well and just falling away.

"When you've got a blueprint and someone is telling you 'If you do this, you will win' and you do it and you lose, it's very hard to keep faith in what you're doing.

"Now we've got the fruits of our labour. The turning point for me was when we beat Catalans away (in the play-offs). I thought ‘We’re on to something here’.

"The way we beat them is not the way that we’ve beaten teams in the past. We gritted it out, fought fire with fire and stood up to them as a young team. That was the catalyst and confidence booster we needed.”

The Rhinos have closed the gap on Saints in the space of a few short months but must outdo themselves to beat Kristian Woolf's formidable team and reclaim the Super League crown.

Regardless of the result at Old Trafford, Leeming is optimistic another golden era is around the corner under Smith.

"He's been brilliant for us," said Leeming.

"I still feel like he's holding a lot back as well and not putting all his cards on the table in terms of his coaching ability.

"I feel like he's found something that works for this short period of time and not yet opened the door to show us everything he's got for us.

"He's drip-feeding it in and has had to keep some of it back because we are still learning on the job.

"When we get a full pre-season under him I feel like something special could happen."