This has been a fallow period in the history of Leeds Rhinos but, despite the distinct lack of class one of Super League’s heavyweight clubs have shown on the field since their last league title eight years ago, the one thing they never fail at is delivering off-field occasions that fit the bill.
Leeds’ annual motor neurone disease awareness day has always been one of those but this year it had extra poignance, taking place two days before the first anniversary of Rob Burrow’s death. The day itself was not only a wonderful and fitting tribute to Burrow, but a heartening reminder of how the Rhinos have continued to drive his mission to help support those living with MND and to try to find a cure.
Last year, the money raised by the event helped fund the new MND hospital in the city which will carry Burrow’s name. This year, another bumper total will continue to support the MND community and, with dozens of Burrow’s teammates present, Leeds wearing a one-off shirt bearing his image and his family delivering the match ball, this was an occasion to cherish.
Burrow’s father, Geoff, captivated the hearts of everyone in attendance pre-match when addressing the crowd, just as he did last year in the first game after his son’s death. It is those heartfelt moments that make you realise just how intertwined this family have become with the Rhinos and the city of Leeds since Burrow’s diagnosis in 2019.
But Burrow would have craved one thing above all else here, you suspect: a Leeds victory. The last Leeds team to win a Grand Final in 2017 included Burrow, on what was the last match of a decorated playing career. Few would have imagined that in 2025, they would still be waiting to taste that feeling again.
This thrilling victory overWakefield Trinitydoes not guarantee that the wait will end this year: far from it, in fact. It is realistic to assume that while Leeds may be the best of the rest, they are still a sizable distance behind the competition’s leading pair of Hull KR and Wigan. But for the first time in a good while in this part of West Yorkshire, there is hope.
For 40 minutes Leeds were dazzling, a throwback to the sides Burrow was at the heart of as the Rhinos swept aside all comers throughout the 2000s and 2010s. By the end, they were clinging on, but they kept Wakefield Trinity at bay.
Brad Arthur, the Rhinos’ head coach, said: “There were plenty of reasons why we needed to get up today, most of all the emotion around Rob and his family. It’s been a very special day. I hope it makes his family feel proud that the guys delivered.”
Yet for all the drama and all the enjoyment that comes with watching Leeds this year, this day reminded you to take a step back and realise that some things simply matter more than winning and losing. Sport, in the end, is a moment to escape from the travails of everyday life.
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The thousands of shirts you saw at every turn inside Headingley adorned with Burrow’s name – worn by children too young to have seen him play and by adults who have been watching this team for decades – underlined that his legacy transcends the rugby field by a considerable distance.
The adults were visibly moved by the unveiling on the pitch of two huge banners with Burrow’s image as the players emerged. The work this club, Kevin Sinfield and the whole of British rugby league will continue to do will strengthen Burrow’s legacy and support those who need it. The whole sport has pulled together in a commendable way.
His story, his incredible courage and his extreme bravery in the face of a fight few could imagine encountering is what really matters. But as Leeds clung on here in the final moments, desperate to prove they belong among Super League’s elite again, you almost felt it was meant to be that they would hold firm on a day such as this.