McGuire confident Rhinos can create history by doing things the hard way

The West Yorkshire club will face St Helens at Old Trafford on Saturday evening in a bid to become champions for the fourth time in just five seasons.

Never, though, have they had to secure their path in such an arduous manner.

Battling in unprecedented style from fifth place, and earning their spot with Friday night’s breathtaking 26-24 triumph at minor champions Warrington, they have achieved their goal the hard way.

Victory over a Warrington side, made to pay for choosing Leeds as semi-final opponents via the contentious Club Call system, now means that for the first time in the Grand Final’s 13-year history, neither of the regular season’s top two will feature at Old Trafford.

Saints’ victory over reigning champions and second-placed Wigan, gives the Merseysiders a record sixth consecutive appearance in the final – a run which includes four successive defeats, and three versus Leeds from 2007 to 2009.

The fact the final sees third play fifth is all the more stunning as 11 of the 13 previous finals have been played out between the two sides finishing first and second in the regular season.

A Leeds victory now would create history – only Bradford Bulls have won the title having finished their season outside of the top two, when they beat Leeds in 2005 having finished third.

Experienced Rhinos, who were as low as eighth and written off by many in mid-July, kept their celebrations relatively muted following Friday’s dramatic victory at the Halliwell Jones Stadium which left chief executive Gary Hetherington heralding it as the club’s finest hour.

Scrum-half McGuire, preparing for his sixth Grand Final with his home-town club, told the Yorkshire Post: “That win was up there with the best of them.

“It was definitely a special one because not many teams go to Warrington and do what we did.

“They’re a great side with some fantastic players who made it really tough for us but the attitude and willingness to simply not lose has always been there ever since I’ve been part of this team.

“It’s a privilege to play with all the lads but we don’t want to get too carried away; we’ve all talked about how we’ve another game to go to achieve what we set out to do.

“There’s still a little bit left on this journey. We’ve soaked up all the good things and enjoyed it but we want to push on for next week now and Saints.”

For all the long-held belief that 2011 would see a Warrington versus Wigan final, it is the ‘summer’ era’s two most dominant clubs who now go head-to-head once more. It was supposed to be a season of transition for Saints – who have beaten Leeds on both meetings this year, the last a 42-16 rout in early June – following the retirement of their talisman Keiron Cunningham.

But their new coach Royce Simmons has ushered in a batch of thrilling youngsters who have more than held their own, illustrated by their ability to twice defeat Challenge Cup holders Wigan in this play-off series.

“They have gone about their job really quietly and kept under the radar a little bit,” said McGuire, who scored twice to help defeat Saints in the 2008 final.

“But they have finished really strong and some of their young players have really stepped up to the mark, people like Jonny Lomax and Lee Gaskell in the halves.

“They were great in beating Wigan and again we know it’s going to be a massive challenge.

“We’ve not played them for a while either so it’s one we’re looking forward to.

“Everyone stood up tall and really put it in at Warrington; we left nothing out on the field. That’s what we need to do this week too.”

Indeed, Rhinos chief Brian McDermott, who, in his first season in charge will become the first English coach since Brian Noble in 2005 to lead a side out at Old Trafford, praised his side’s “integrity, courage and honour” following the win at Warrington and it is hard to see, with such traits, their momentum now being halted.

It would be a fairytale finish for the legendary Danny Buderus as well, the ex-Australia captain who has announced he will return to Newcastle Knights next season after Rhinos agreed a compensation package to release him from the final year of his Headingley contract.

The Leeds hooker, 33, missed the 2009 final in his first year at Headingley due to a broken leg but was outstanding against Warrington and is now preparing for his first trip to Old Trafford in his final Rhinos game.

McGuire said: “He played 80 minutes on Friday and was just everywhere.

“The determination of Bedsy to get to the Grand Final was amazing. He’s been pushing everyone in training this season and what a professional.

“Bedsy’s not just a great player but an absolute legend and one of the nicest blokes you could wish to meet. It’d be nice to send him off with a Grand Final’s winners ring. He deserves it.”