Plenty of reasons to be cheerful as McGuire returns for Rhinos

Ordinarily, the amiable scrum-half is quite light-hearted anyway.

But after his recent travails he certainly has more reason to be cheerful than usual to see his side back at Old Trafford.

The England international. of course, was forced to sit back and watch from the sidelines a week ago as his comrades went into battle at Wigan for a place in tomorrow’s Super League Grand Final.

McGuire was banned after being called before the disciplinary committee for an alleged reckless tackle on Catalan’s Louis Anderson during Leeds’ elimination play-off win in Perpignan.

“It was weird; I was probably the most nervous I’ve ever been watching a game,” he admitted, after seeing them edge home 13-12 to set up a finale with Warrington Wolves.

“It was nail-biting anyway – edge of the seat stuff – and I wanted the lads to play really well to give me another chance to get back out there... and not finish the season on a sour note with a ban.

“Hopefully I can get back in on Saturday and finish it on a positive note.”

Despite the heroics of his colleagues, there is no doubt McGuire will return tomorrow to bolster his side’s chances of a sixth title in nine years.

He was there in the first as an elusive 21-year-old who scrambled over for the crucial try that helped Leeds defeat Bradford Bulls in 2004 and has featured in four more triumphs since.

Now, approaching his 30th birthday and newly-annointed as the greatest try-scorer in Super League history, they will need him just as urgently to break down Warrington’s impressive rearguard.

McGuire has already missed the Challenge Cup final defeat to the Wolves just six weeks ago when he was sidelined by an untimely knee injury.

Many felt that was the principal reason Leeds were unable to end their recent Wembley hoodoo.

“It would have been a nightmare year if I’d have got a two-match ban and missed this one, too,” he admitted.

“Missing both finals would have been really frustrating, This year has been a bit stop-start. I’ve had a couple of niggly injuries and a couple of bans in there, too.

“But I think the season has been pretty good for me personally and the team as well. We’ve got to every final and, hopefully, we can finish it off on a really positive note with a win on Saturday.”

That knee injury saw McGuire miss four games before the play-offs began but this latest enforced absence may have been a blessing in disguise.

“I would have been fine to play last week but it has given me another week to strengthen it up and get it right,” he added.

“I feel great now. I didn’t get much rest because I got flogged by our conditioner Jason Davidson but it’s the bumps and bruises from a game that you don’t miss. I’ll be going into this one really fresh and I just want to play well for the lads.”

A mainstay of this Rhinos side – McGuire is embarking on his testimonial year with his home-town club – his combination with Kevin Sinfield will be crucial in dictating how the fixture goes as they face in-form Lee Briers and Richie Myler.

Warrington, led by Tony Smith who was in charge for Leeds’ 2004 and 2007 Grand Final triumphs, reached Old Trafford courtesy of an impressive win over St Helens.

“I watched that game and the teams were evenly matched,” said the East Leeds ARLFC product, who has amassed 22 tries in 25 games this term.

“The result could have gone either way but Warrington stepped it up in the second half, played really well and thoroughly deserved to get to the final.

“They’ve done that this year pretty consistently. They and Wigan have been the top two teams in the competition and they’ll be hard to beat but I think our experience in these occasions will be good for us.

“The way we defended last week and the desire to win, if we can show up with that attitude I think we will be tough to beat.”

McGuire, meanwhile, insists he always thought he would get suspended for that offence in France – especially after Wigan coach Shaun Wane and his full-back Sam Tomkins both called for a ban.

He added: “I caught him with a swinging arm, he was falling, it was unintentional. Things happen in a game, people get caught with swinging arms and head clashes and you get split-seconds to make decisions.

“I took it on the chin. I expected to get a ban with everything that was said about it. I’m just glad it was one match and I can get back out there and have a say in the game this time.”

There has been some calls for opposition players and coaches alike to be banned from speaking on such subjects in the future but McGuire knows that would be impossible to enforce.

“You can’t stop people having opinions on things,” he said.

“I don’t think you should talk about other people’s players but that’s happened now,

“Sometimes the occasion gets ahead of you and you say things you don’t mean.

“It was the lead-up to a big game and a lot was made of it.

“It built the game up and everyone was excited because of it but that’s gone now.”

And, instead, McGuire will be chasing another record tomorrow – just one more try will see him reach five in Grand Finals, eclipsing former team-mate Lee Smith and ex-Bradford full-back Michael Withers who sit on four.

Yet another reason to smile...