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Ryan Hall is determined to continue firing Leeds back towards the summit of the Betfred Super League after proving there is plenty left in the tank with his match-winning try against Hull FC last week.
Hall’s trademark dive into the corner in the dying seconds continued the Rhinos’ recent upward trajectory and cemented their place in the top four ahead of Saturday’s short trip to struggling Castleford.
It is no coincidence that Leeds’ resurgence after two dismal seasons of missing out of the play-offs should come hand-in-hand with the return of Hall, a cult figure at Headingley who won six Grand Finals before departing his boyhood club in 2018.
Advancing years have not dimmed the hunger of 37-year-old Hall to add to his collection of silverware before he finally hangs up his boots.
“I can’t write an essay which some people might find easy, but I can score tries in the corner,” said Hall, who continues to motor clear on the all-time list with 259 to his name after eclipsing the then record holder Danny McGuire – now Castleford boss – last year.
“I love what I do and it’s moments like that which reinforce that. As soon as I lose my passion for rugby, that might be the time I give it up, but I haven’t lost that yet. It keeps me smiling and I am loving it at the minute.”
After two turbulent years Leeds have settled under current head coach Brad Arthur, who has managed to mould an eclectic mix of experience, in the likes of Hall and Jake Connor, who has excelled in a makeshift half-back role, with emerging youngsters like Hall’s fellow winger Riley Lumb.
It has raised realistic hopes that Leeds will return to the post-season stages and perhaps go on to grace Old Trafford for the first time since 2022.
“We want to stay in the top four and not just do that, we want to creep up and catch those above us,” added Hall.
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“Leeds over the last six or seven years have really been struggling. It was hard to put your finger on what they were missing, but I can genuinely say now we are a good team.
“There games we’ve lost this year, apart from the one at Catalans, have been a narrow loss and we had realistic chances to win those games.
“If things had gone differently, we could have been sat at the top of the league with only one loss to our name.”
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