Warrington Wolves 18 Leeds Rhinos 26: Rhinos reinforce their place in history with devastating display

Fourteen years on from the first Super League Grand Final, when Wigan’s ‘Billy Whizz’ broke Leeds hearts with one piece of his dazzling brilliance, most people thought Warrington’s current galaxy of match-winners would prove the difference on Saturday night.

They had been too hot for Leeds in the Challenge Cup Final six weeks earlier, utterly outplaying a side who then spluttered into the play-offs, while even the Wembley sun had ominously followed these Wolves to Manchester.

That was not good; Rhinos may have been champions in four of the previous five campaigns but miserable, wet weather had usually been the backdrop to such successes. A dry ground suited this Warrington team on their maiden Grand Final appearance.

However in the end, that collection of such skilled manipulators who had ruthlessly ripped up so many foes this year, had no answers to a brilliant Leeds side who twice came from behind and continue to exhaust every list of known superlatives.

Warrington’s Brett Hodgson came out for his early warm-up to the Rocky theme tune but when it came to the action, the scheming Australian full-back was continually knocked to the canvas by a sea of blue and amber.

Lee Briers, their talismanic stand-off who conjures up all sorts of mesmerising tricks, managed to get one telling pass out for Joel Monaghan to strike but that was effectively it.

Rarely has it been said but Michael Monaghan had no impact whatsoever such was the stranglehold determined Leeds had on the usually dominant hooker.

Admittedly, Richie Myler buzzed around dangerously but, aside from the scrum-half’s fourth-minute opener when he sped past Jamie Peacock in front of the posts, Brian McDermott’s side always had someone to snare him back in.

And that summed up Leeds’s latest – and greatest – achievement; their collective desire and willingness to get the job done.

The team spirit among this group, which is so continually written off, is staggering.

Captain Kevin Sinfield, in lifting the title a record-extending sixth time, deservedly won the Harry Sunderland Trophy for bouncing back from not just one, but two worrying injuries to pilot his side home with the sort of exemplary performance everyone now takes for granted.

But Carl Ablett must have run him close for as an involved a display as you are ever likely to see at centre.

Whether it be routinely harassing Briers with his aggressive defence, popping up with offloads as Leeds counter-attacked, going over for the match-winning try or laying on the clincher, the unassuming lad from Middleton was everywhere.

Leeds had responed to Myler’s opener in positive fashion, crossing themselves in the 19th minute when Joel Monaghan failed to defuse Sinfield’s hanging kick and Ablett casually shrugged off Hodgson before finding his supporting captain.

Sinfield converted and added another two points when Richard Silverwood awarded the first penalty of the night in the 25th minute, something which also demonstrated the relentless nature of this quality Grand Final.

A second penalty came in the re-start set preceding a slick handling move to the right that saw winger Ben Jones-Bishop latch onto McGuire’s raking pass and somehow evade both Chris Riley and Hodgson to clinch an excellent score which Sinfield again improved.

Suddenly energised, it was Leeds who began playing in the style Warrington are renowned for; attempting off-loads, attacking from deep, throwing ambitious passes – and their opponents struggled to keep up.

Eventually, that boldness cost them as Warrington capitalised when Ablett failed to take Sinfield’s hurried delivery coming out of their own 30m area and Briers’s flung pass gave Joel Monaghan his try two minutes before the break.

Hodgson improved and then – after Warrington visibly stirred – added a penalty in injury-time to level at 14-14.

When Sinfield was felled by Michael Monaghan’s head striking his jaw early in the second half, you could almost hear the Leeds fans groan as their hero lay prone on the pitch.

The influential stand-off had already received treatment following a hefty knock from Ben Westwood and it looked like this time he might not recover.

However, he did, although barely in time to see Ryan Atkins expose some lackadaisical short-side defence.

Hodgson could not convert from wide out, though, and so, after Leeds had frittered away numerous opportunities, when Ablett hit Shaun Lunt’s pass from close range it meant Sinfield’s kick put them back in front.

Warrington needed their stellar talent to rise but all that happened was Ben Harrison fumbled Briers’s off-load and, instead, Leeds’s varied combination of footballers struck.

Rob Burrow scored arguably the best try in Grand Final history 12 months ago with his stunning individual effort against St Helens.

Here, he initiated possibly the finest team try as he scampered away and Delaney’s fine short pass put Kallum Watkins dancing in field towards Hardaker.

He off-loaded to McGuire who seemed bereft of options before taking stock and firing out a monster pass to Ablett on the opposite flank for Ryan Hall to stride over. Sinfield’s conversion gave them an eight-point cushion with just as many minutes remaining.

A few rows behind Robinson sat the legendary Lewis Jones who famously led Leeds to their first title in 1961.

A knowing smile from him suggested he realised this modern-day team of legends would never let that slip. He was right.