Rhinos target treble after ending Challenge Cup hoodoo

Ominously for the rest of their rivals, Leeds’ 23-10 Wembley win over Castleford Tigers – after six successive losses in the showpiece – has only served to whet their appetite for more glory.

Following six Grand Final wins and three World Club Challenges since last winning the Challenge Cup in 1999, this was the one piece of silverware that had eluded their ‘golden generation’ of players including Kevin Sinfield, Danny McGuire, Rob Burrow and James Jones-Buchanan.

After watching them ruthlessly break down their West Yorkshire rivals in Saturday’s first ever Challenge Cup final meeting of the two sides, Hetherington explained just how important the success is to the club.

“It’s very significant because I think we can kick on from here whereas a defeat would have been a devastating blow to morale, spirit and confidence,” he said.

“That’s not only to the players and the coaching staff but everybody else within the business.

“That would have lived with us for at least another year and would have made life much more difficult.

“But I think this victory now is a relief and a monkey off our backs. We’ve shown that we’re capable of going and winning a Challenge Cup final.

“I think the players now, in the dressing room, are not just talking about celebrating but about coming back next year in the same place and how it’s a much better feeling when you do win than when you don’t.

“The rest of this season also holds a tremendous amount, not only for Leeds Rhinos but for Castleford Tigers.

“Our team now want to really kick on and make some more history – ideally do the treble this year, which is still on the cards.”

There are just three regular rounds of Super League remaining but Leeds, chasing the Leaders’ Shield, will close to within two points of front-runners St Helens if they defeat them at Headingley on Friday.

A double is more likely, however, and something Leeds have still yet to achieve in their 144-year history.

In masterminding Saturday’s victory, Brian McDermott became the most successful Leeds coach in all of that time, too.

He has received criticism at times during his four-year reign, but Hetherington added: “That is only through the media, I think, and from people who are not able to make a judgement.

“To make a judgement you need to be close to the action.

“If you ask people like Kevin Sinfield, who says Brian is the best coach he has ever worked under, and other stalwarts, 
they all rate Brian McDermott at the head of it, so that’s fair testament.

“He is an outstanding character and ambassador for rugby league and we are very fortunate to have him as our coach.”

McDermott, who has won two Grand Finals and a World Club Challenge with Leeds, said: “It is massive, because we – the club – have been striving for this for so long.

“To eventually get it, it is a big, big feeling.

“I don’t know whether it is a sense of relief or elation, I am not sure, but they are an emotional group at the moment, the players.

“Personally I feel like I have delivered something.

“The fans have endured every tackle and carry we’ve been involved with in Challenge Cup finals and for six of them we’ve picked up the silver version of the medal.

“Today we picked up the gold version and that’s a big feeling. While I’ve not coached every one of those six losses, you feel it.

“You feel that mounting pressure.”

Castleford, though, could not handle the pressure in their first Wembley final since 1992.

They were 16-4 down at half-time and though they narrowed that deficit to six points early after the break they could not find the final push.

“We showed some courage and determination in the second period,” said coach Daryl Powell, who must now try galvanise his side to reach a maiden Grand Final.

“We just weren’t quite good enough to score enough points and put Leeds under the pressure we needed to put them under.

“That was disappointing, and the first-half in particular was really disappointing.

“Leeds were very good though and we got rattled; their kicking game was excellent and our response wasn’t good enough.”

Leeds will bring the trophy back to Headingley this morning with doors opening at 11.45am and free entry.

Match report, pictures, and player ratings: Pages 6-7