THEY’VE taken down the sign at the Totally Wicked Stadium, ‘Don’t Write off the Saints.’
But surely it’ll be going back up again after one of the most astonishing play-off finales ever seen, as Leeds were beaten at the death at AMT Headingley.
Sixteen passes, 30 seconds – 28 of them after the hooter had sounded – six attempted tackles beaten by Harry Robertson on the right, the most audacious of no-look flick passes by Tristan Sailor, a sensational gather and offload by Matt Whitley, his second key involvement, to create an overlap left and, with quick hands, Jonny Lomax, James Bell and Jack Welsby sent Shane Wright, who had started the move, over for the winning score – elation and heartbreak in equal measure, the truest drama of the best of sport.
It’s 2017 since the Rhinos last beat Saints at home, the year they last won a Grand Final and had a home play-off. So the omens were good for Brad Arthur’s men and, with ten minutes to go, his side were on their way to Sewell Group Craven Park for a semi-final against Hull KR.
But then Ryan Hall lost possession playing the ball on his own ten-metre line and Leeds unsuccessfully challenged the ruling. Saints struggled to capitalise, which seems typical of their season that a generally misfiring attack will peter out.
Jon Bennison, called in as a late replacement for Kyle Feldt, epitomised their never-say-die attitude, however, by spotting a gap and riding the outstanding James McDonnell’s challenge to determinedly plant the ball down for a score that was rejected by the referee Jack Smith, who sent it to the video-referee as a double movement but was contentiously overruled with five minutes left.
It gave Saints a glimmer of hope, and with the clock down to virtually zero they were helped by being awarded a penalty on halfway when a Leeds player fielded a knocked-down kick in an offside position, and the rest goes down as the latest chapter of a long and distinguished history between the clubs in games that matter.
It’s been a strange year for Saints, not least head coach Paul Wellens and star signing and scapegoat Sailor, the former battling a hardcore of his own fans dissatisfied with consecutive finishes outside the top four after completing a four-peat from 2019-2022.
The criticism predominantly centred on Saints’ inability to beat the top teams – although not Leeds, whose number they seem to have – and Wellens not seemingly knowing his best spine combination, which has hampered their ability to score points against the best.
Teenager George Whitby’s reputation has been enhanced by not playing but being loaned to Halifax, despite him having the best kicking game.
Sailor has been moved around three positions with many regarding him as an expensive luxury and Welsby, back early after an extensive lay off, moved to stand-off, which seemed to blunt his instinctiveness and ability to create havoc from the back, as he is expected to do for England in the Ashes.
Of course, attention will be on those last 30 seconds of bedlam, but the game was won by Saints’ doggedness in the face of having lost Matty Lees at the break as he was rushed out the stadium after his partner went into labour.
Four times they turned down the chance to go for goal just before the end of the first half when trailing 12-6. They also failed to find touch from a penalty, and yet twice expertly used their captain’s challenge.
The second occasion was another cornerstone of this triumph, Ash Handley going through a hole in the 44th minute and seemingly putting Leeds into a commanding position but, on review, Morgan Gannon was deemed to have obstructed a tackler and the try decision rescinded.
Fortune had favoured Saints for their opening score, when Morgan Knowles’ fumble turned into a kick for Lomax to score, but that only came after Curtis Sironen had got above Hall to contest a high kick, showing that fortune favours the brave.
Leeds had their four strike backs returning and at two scores clear were one tackle away from being 80 minutes from Old Trafford.
Gary Hetherington brought out the match ball on his final home game after 29 years as CEO at the Rhinos, it was a lovely touch, but Lachie Miller then sent it out on the full from the kick off.
It was that kind of night for the hosts but watch out for them next year, fuelled by this desperate loss and a perceived sense of injustice.
For Saints the journey goes east for at least another week.