St Helens sink Leeds to win record fourth consecutive Grand Final | Super League

There can now surely be no doubting the matter. For the first time in Super League history – and only the second since rugby league was founded in 1895 – a team has won four consecutive league titles. In the early-1990s it was Wigan Warriors who swept all before them but this time it is St Helens, who in the process of a deserved Grand Final victory against Leeds, perhaps finally secured their status as the greatest team to pick up a rugby league ball.

It is a bold claim. But then this is no ordinary team we are talking about. There are no shortage of compliments you can pay this side, who have now swept all-comers aside for four successive years.

You always felt it was going to take something special to stop a Leeds side who had won 10 of their last 11 games to reach Old Trafford but this St Helens team is exactly that though: special.

The Rhinos offered plenty of resistance, not least in an engrossing first half that saw the Saints lead by only six at half-time. But after the break, just as they have done so often, they turned the screw in the ruthless, machine-like fashion they have become renowned for and by the end, there was very little doubt left about both the outcome and where this team ranks. among the pantheon of the sport’s best.

The reigning champions began in ominous fashion. The opening try did not take long to arrive as Jonny Lomax dummied through the Leeds line before offering Matty Lees a free run to break the deadlock. Timed at just over two minutes, it was the quickest try in Grand Final history. Tommy Makinson converted and as the midway point of the half approached, Saints began to up the ante once again.

Just like the opener, it felt somewhat of an inevitability when they doubled their lead. The frustration for Leeds was that the tries came from penalties conceded deep in opposition territory and St Helens took full advantage.

This time, they worked the ball left and Jack Welsby’s clever kick was grounded by Jon Bennison, with Makinson converting from out wide to make it 12-0.

Even at such an early stage, you felt Leeds had to score next. But Saints were offered an opportunity to make it a three-score lead on the half-hour mark. Leads of that margin are rarely overturned in finals so when Makinson pulled his penalty attempt wide after Rhyse Martin had fouled Lomax, there was no doubting the Rhinos had received somewhat of a let-off. But they had to make it count at the other end.

A stunning tackle from Lomax denied Martin inches from the line and just as it looked as though St Helens would head into the break with their line intact a frantic passage of play from Leeds led to Kruise Leeming grounding.

Having dominated the majority of an engrossing first half, the champions led by six at the break and the Grand Final was well and truly alive.

But just like in the first half, Saints began after the restart in imperious mood once again. It took them just six minutes of the second half to extend their lead, and this time for Leeds, it will have been an extra painful one to concede given how it came via one of their former favourites, Konrad Hurrell. The Tongan center charged towards the line and carried four Leeds defenders – who perhaps should have done better – with him before grounding.

Makinson converted and once again, you felt St Helens were one score away from a game-defining moment. But unlike earlier, where Leeds were allowed back into proceedings, this time there would be no repeat. As the hour mark approached, a repeat set on the Leeds line intensified the pressure on the Rhinos. Welsby then delivered the pivotal blow, with an inch-perfect kick for Mark Percival. Makinson converted both tries to push St Helens’ lead to 18.

Even Leeds supporters would have likely accepted defeat at that point. That try took the sting out of the final as a contest in truth, but you could not deny their effort and endeavour. That was emphasized with a consolation try for Martin in the final minutes but even then, it didn’t really alter the mood.

Everyone seemed to know what was happening long before that: namely the etching of a very serious piece of rugby league history.