Leeds Rhinos great Ryan Hall eyes golden finale after career of highs and lows
If his long and storied career has taught Ryan Hall anything, it is that there are no guarantees – yet anything is possible.
The veteran Leeds Rhinos winger has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows since taking his first steps into Super League as a fresh-faced teenager in 2007.
Now, as he prepares for season 20, there is a sense of intrigue about how his final chapter will unfold.
Hall is refusing to put an end date on his career, preferring to let his body decide rather than the number beside his name.
That has left observers wondering what the last act holds for a player who has been at the heart of some of the modern game's most dramatic finishes.
After playing a supporting role when Kevin Sinfield, Jamie Peacock, Danny McGuire and Rob Burrow bowed out as Grand Final winners, the 38-year-old has allowed his mind to drift to a dream curtain call of his own.
"I've had some team-mates sign out in the perfect scenario," said Super League's all-time leading tryscorer. "That's certainly the best way to sign out.
"To see mates who you've been playing with for 10-15 years finish their career in the most special way is one of those 'wow' moments. You're so happy that you've done it together and done it for them.
"It'd be great to be in the same category as the players who have been able to do that.
"Sport is such a wonderful thing and it doesn't always happen like that. I'll be doing my utmost to make the dice fall that way."
As Hall knows all too well, fate sometimes has other ideas.
Last year's dramatic play-off defeat to St Helens in game 521 of his career was a stark reminder of rugby league's unpredictability.
Leading by eight points heading into the final five minutes, the Rhinos were stung by two late suckerpunches.
The memory of Shane Wright diving over to finish a spellbinding move and end Leeds' year stayed with Hall for much of the off-season.
"I've had some bad moments across my career," he said with a rueful smile. "I've given myself an opportunity, if you will, to experience those moments by playing for so long.
"That one stands out alongside Shaun Johnson's try in the World Cup semi. It was a process to get over it. How the game was going, we felt in control and like the better team. Then one moment ruined us.
"The first day of pre-season, we assessed what we did wrong in that moment and got it out of the way. That's behind us now.
"It's part of sport. I've experienced the other side of it with so many highs, like scoring the try against Huddersfield to win the League Leaders' Shield.
"That's why sport is so great – because you can create moments and feelings like that."
Like every team in the competition, Leeds begin the new campaign chasing those unforgettable highs.
Last season marked a step forward for the Rhinos, a club still emerging from the long shadow of the golden generation.
Leeds ended the campaign in fourth place, their highest finish since their last title success in 2017.
Having played in both eras, Hall agrees that Brad Arthur was the right coach at the right time for a club that had lost their way.
"You'd have to say yes because of what the club have been through," said Hall. "But it's hard for me to speak about that because I wasn't here when things started going a bit pear-shaped.
"He's certainly steadied the ship. In rugby league, we talk about things being grey and not so much black and white. Brad has a good way of identifying what's black and what's white in his systems. The more you can give players definite answers on what they should do in each scenario, the better they'll be.
"We've got a top-class coaching team and a good squad to go with it. We've had another year's worth of the systems and what the coaches expect from us.
"We've got everything in place to succeed and achieve something. Now we've got to do it."
In stark contrast to last year when they were coming off successive eighth-place finishes, Leeds will kick off 2026 among the title favourites.
The Rhinos have bolstered Arthur's squad with the signings of Ethan O’Neill, Danny Levi and Jeremiah Mata'utia, while there is growing excitement about the next generation at Headingley.
With the lessons of last season still fresh, Hall is optimistic that Leeds are stronger, sharper and ready for whatever 2026 throws at them.
"The only team we didn't beat last year was Catalans so we had the beating of everyone else," said the six-time Grand Final winner.
"I believe we'll be a step further forward this year because of the time we've had with the coaching staff.
"I certainly do think we've got the team, the squad and the club capable of winning something."