History to prove just how good Leeds title treble was

The deflated Yorkshiremen's annual pilgrimage to Old Trafford will not occur this weekend after Leeds were defeated 26-6 by a highly-charged Wigan Warriors in Saturday's semi-final.

The competition will have new champions for the first time since 2007 when the Rhinos began their unheralded domination, winning the first of three consecutive Grand Finals each time at the expense of St Helens.

Instead, league leaders Wigan, denied at the semi-final stage in each of the last three seasons, including twice at Headingley, will now face St Helens in what McClennan agrees will be "a wonderful final and great for the game."

But the Kiwi, who guided Leeds to their previous two championships after succeeding Tony Smith, admitted: "History says it will be hard for anyone to get three on the bounce.

"If you look at any salary cap sport throughout the world, that's the case.

"As far as records go they are always hard to beat.

"Someone is going to win it next week and they'll then carry that flag; they'll have everyone getting their game up to play them each time and we'll go under the radar next year."

McClennan – whose side were ultimately undone by two quickfire Wigan tries just after the break – conceded Leeds' woeful opening to the season was the root of all their problems in 2010, when last year's league leaders only just scrambled into fourth spot on the campaign's final weekend.

They lost five of their first eight Super League games and endured a demoralising World Club Challenge defeat against Melbourne Storm midway through that horrendous run while a series of costly and untimely injuries has hindered their spirited attempts to rescue it at the death.

"It's been an extremely challenging year and when I reflect back we just didn't get off to a good enough start," said McClennan. "It put us behind the eight ball and we were forever having challenges coming up – we lost to Castleford and Wakefield, then had the World Club Challenge, and were always trying to make up for lost ground.

"The season has flown. It's the quickest one I've ever been involved with and a lot of the players say the same but we were always chasing too much.

"Having said that, we had a real good dig in the World Club Challenge against a side that ended up being found out (Melbourne were stripped of their NRL titles for salary cap breaches) and we went right through to the Challenge Cup final where we had one put on the chin that day."

McClennan spoke of placing emphasis on starting 2011 far stronger and the absence of any World Club Challenge commitments, which certainly dominated Leeds' thoughts earlier this year, will enable them to concentrate on one sole aim.

However, given that the club already knows it will be without two of its leading players – influential stand-off Danny McGuire and England captain Jamie Peacock both sorely missed against Wigan – until March at the earliest due to knee reconstructions, the size of the task at hand is clear.

They have also yet to replace two departing players, long-serving Australian winger Scott Donald having retired following the Wigan defeat and second-row Greg Eastwood returning to the NRL.

Promising young full-back Ben Jones-Bishop has re-joined from a season-long loan at Harlequins to ease one problem but Leeds, especially given Peacock's extended absence, desperately need to bolster their forward options.

There is, of course, the theory that Rhinos are also an ageing side which may require new blood to counter the growing threat of Wigan – who have reached their first Grand Final since 2003 following a hugely impressive transformation – double Challenge Cup winners Warrington and an omnipresent Saints.

By the time of Peacock's likely return, their entire first-choice front-row will be aged 33 and the culmination of next season will see a pack dominated by players the wrong side of 30. But Leeds are looking for fresh talent and McClennan maintains the current crop is still strong enough to win back their crown when the new season starts in 2011.

"I think we've proved this year that we are still good enough," he said. "We are a hard team to play against and I thought Wigan was a tougher game than the other semi (Saints v Huddersfield). It wasn't to be this year but I'm very proud of the efforts of the players.

"You have got to credit Wigan's defence. Jeez, they scrambled well. We threw everything at them and – take away that five minute spell after half-time – it was a pretty ding-dong battle. I don't think the score was really reflective off the game."