Very very proud of the team tonight. They ran their blood to water for each other and the young lads did themselves proud. Croft was magnificent. Young mccormack Looks a good talent. A quality new coach here will make a huge difference. Let’s hope it’s the start of a new chapter.

Spirit of Rob Burrow Inspires Leeds Rhinos To A Win Over Leigh Centurions It was always going to be an emotional night at Headingley as the Leeds Rhinos hosted their first game since the death of idol, superstar, and MND campaigner Rob Burrow welcoming the Leig Leopards to a sold-out stadium. But the departure, by mutual consent, of coach Rohan Smith during the week added an extra edge with Scott Grix and Chev Walker taking temporary charge while the global search for a new coach takes place at the highest level. Leigh had been made favourites with the bookies with the home side given a four point start on the handicap coupon and a win for Leigh would lift them above Huddersfield and just a point behind the Rhinos. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Spirit of Rob Burrow Inspires Leeds Rhinos To A Win Over Leigh Centurions It was always going to be an emotional night at Headingley as the Leeds Rhinos hosted their first game since the death of idol, superstar, and MND campaigner Rob Burrow welcoming the Leig Leopards to a sold-out stadium. But the departure, by mutual consent, of coach Rohan Smith during the week added an extra edge with Scott Grix and Chev Walker taking temporary charge while the global search for a new coach takes place at the highest level. Leigh had been made favourites with the bookies with the home side given a four point start on the handicap coupon and a win for Leigh would lift them above Huddersfield and just a point behind the Rhinos. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Croft was in floods of tears in his interview with Jenna.



So proud of the team tonight

Fabulous night and a fabulous tribute to Rob.

Well done Leeds on organising it.

And well done to the players who put everything into it tonight.

Croft what a gent.

Congrats to Chev too for getting the lads in good shape. Thought the pack punched above its weight too.

sam eseh looks a player. really caught the eye

deffo, leighs pack is decent and I thought we matched them

Seeing the passion in Croft when he scored the first was fantastic, worthy tribute to Rob.

Superb by the club tonight. A moving occasion and one fit to celebrate and remember Rob. We'll done to all concerned. Class from the Leigh fans too, I thought. Onto the game. Croft oozes class, Oledski superb and Mccormack looks a natural. The defensive effort was outstanding. We played as a team, simple yet extremely effective RL. Really enjoyed it.

big miks had some stick recently but I thought he was magnificent tonight.

He was superb Tad. Thought Frawley did well too. His best game imo

An emotional night. Well done Leeds. You’ve done Rob and his family proud.

The team were definitely up for that. Much more aggressive defensively.

Croft superb. Mik and Miller much improved . Eseh looked decent. The third try was lovely. Some nice passing and movement. Not spoiled by a centre repeatedly stepping inside.

Just need to re-sign Senior. Still looks a machine

Outstanding event put on by the club tonight to celebrate the legend Rob Burrow. The teams performance matched it in every single way all the players stood up and put in a performance I'm sure Rob would be proud of. Fantastic tributes for Rob and his family that's why we love this club and this sport. As the great man said himself ' In a world full of adversity we must still dare to dream

I thought the lads did wonderfully well to handle the pressure of performing in that game on that occasion. Leigh are in decent nick and that was close to our best performance of the year.



Sangare deserves credit, he was a handful and one of his better games this year. Mik was immense despite a couple of errors. Eseh was someone I was keen on us signing before Wigan got him instead - him and Mik on the field together look a really strong combination. Just shows what a difference another direct, aggressive prop can make to us.



Most players were good, Martin got involved well and Miller. Big shout out for Ned McCormack (and Edgell) - our left hand side looked better defensively than our right! Hardaker ran at them all night and got no chances, I thought the young lads were great.



Overall though a very emotional night for everyone I think, and well done by the club. We needed to be competitive tonight and we were.

Well done lads great effort.

Looks like Croft had the shackles removed given freedom to be himself awesome.

Props to big Mick I’ve bagged him a lot but that performance is where he can be all the time it is good to know he has it in his locker room.

I think that the motivation from the ex players Buderis etc inspired our team.

To be fair if you look at the stats hes been good all year over 100 metres every game and 30+ tables. Our other props no where near these figures and are no where to be seen when we are coming off our own line. He never hides and his biggest issue this year is some errors driven by trying too hard.

The performance last night was one of intent in defence, composer with the ball, a simplified game plan, it showed what many of us thought, that on paper we have a good side thats been under performing due to poor coaching from a coach who refused to change a failed game plan/Philosophy that no one innRL circles ever bought in to.



Still plenty of work to do and will still be some frustrating times ahead, but we now know we have it in us, and the new coach needs tweaks not rebuild.

Mik was very unlucky not to get a strip called on one of his errors in the first half too. I think the differen Tonight is he found more support from Sangare and Eseh.



McCormack looked good with the ball, but also stood up well to examination from Hardaker. Credit Edgehill too who seems to be getting to grips with the wing.

Was great to have what I'd consider an 80 minute performance.

Momentum shifted back and forth but we actually looked solid despite the players missing, the young lads and the occasion.

Yep. Simple yet effective. Shackles appeared to be off and it showed. Leigh are in decent form at the moment and there was a point I thought we were running out of steam. We dug in though and, as you say, put in a full 80 minute performance.

Not convinced shackles were off i think the players responded to the occasion.Walker in his presser said he changed nothing.

Nothing may have been explicitly said to the players, but perhaps they felt able to play their game and to their skills set. It certainly looked and felt different to the fare they've served up previously.

Great night and the best we've played for a long time. A fitting tribute.

Difficult to know if the performance was the emotion of the night, or a change of coaching / instructions. Time will tell.

Croft was class.

The front row went well, Mik leading the way. And Eseh looks a real prospect.

Miller had his best game.

McDonnell tackled his heart out.

And thought Momirovski probably had his best game. He's not a line breaker, but his defence and positioning is very strong.

walker wasn't going to throw his mate under the bus.



but everything had changed. that much is obvious to those who choose to see it

Most refreshing things for me were a reduction in errors, which allowed us to play.



Also we had our biggest men running out of yardage with venom, rather than 12st wingers getting smashed. That led to us ending sets on Leigh’s 40 rather than putting in aimless kicks from our own 40 - huge difference just there.



Leigh did roll us at times though, we still have work to do. I don’t know if the Eseh ship has sailed already but he’s exactly the style of player we’ve been lacking.