If you listened very carefully tonight at Headingley you would have heard a very pleasant sound...the sound of the Warrington Wolves bubble bursting at the hands of the Champions.

All credit to the Wolves fans who turned up in massive numbers hoping to see their side triumph at Headingley for the first time since 2006, but they came with false hopes as the Rhinos chose the middle round of the competition to put in their best performance and kick-start their quest for Old Trafford in fine style.

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Last weekends' injured/rested players all made returns but at the expense of the newly injured Ali Lauiti'iti with Burgess and Ambler being the two in the nineteen to miss out. Sinfield stayed at stand-off with Chris Clarkson at loose forward but the mouthwatering match up was between number sixes with McGuire facing off against Briers. That was likely to be where the game would be won and lose, and McGuire needed the upper hand.

Warringtons attempted mind-games prior to kick-off, when they took the wrong side of the field from the tunnel backfired as they just looked stupid when the referee made them change to defend their own supporters end. From the first whistle the visitors threw everything that they had at the Rhinos defence with Leeds strugglingg to get out of their own thirty, let alone half.

On seven minutes Peacock put in a brave last ditch tackle and seemed to go over on his knee/ankle and the physio immediately called for a replacement. Bailey took to the field and Leeds muscled up to keep the Wolves out despite the disruption. Wave after wave of Wolves attack was thwarted until after fourteen the line was finally broken.

A Briers grubber on the third tackle took Leeds by surprise and King was the quickest to react to a planned move to dive on the ball and open the scoring, sending a thousand plus Wires into ecstacy. Bridge kicked the conversion for 0-6, and the concern in the SouthStand was almost tangible.

Beat Briers

But we didn't have to wait long as on eighteen we were all square at six apiece. Buderus earned a penalty, almost on Leeds first foray into the Wolves half, with a dart from dummy half. Three plays later and Ablett charged through a gap off a McGuire pass. Sinfield kicked a simple enough goal for 6-6. After absorbing almost twenty minutes of all-out attack, now it was the Rhinos turn to dominate and on twenty-seven we benefitted from a couple of quick penalties to get near the Wolves line before a great bullet pass from Webb missed out the centres and found Hall on the wing to step inside and score.

Sinfield added the extras and what would have been a major deficit were it not for sensational Leeds defence had turned into a half time lead.

So far, so good, but we all nervous about what the second half might bring. We needn't have been worried.

Within four minutes of the half starting we'd doubled the lead when on the fifth tackle Senior broke through a gap on half-way and fed Webb on his inside to outrun the defenders and score under the sticks. Sinfield goaled for 18-6, the visiting support momentarily quietened.

On fifty-seven the game swung further in our direction when Smith made a great break, found Hall who was tackled by Hicks and held for too long in a professional foul. Hicks saw Yellow and Sinfield extended the lead with a penalty kick.

On sixty-two it was Abletts turn to mock the Wolves defence as the big man went through a gap and passed inside to the supporting McGuire who doesn't need too much of an invitation to score under the sticks. Sinfields goal made it 26-6 and we'd scored all out points unanswered by an increasingly tired looking Warrington outfit. When the Wolves did launch their next attack a brilliant McGuire ball steal, as good as a try, kept them at bay and the clock began to run down.

Big Game

It was evident that both sides had run themselves to near standstill and gaps started to appear in both defensive lines, it had been brutal.

Warrington weren't finished but must have known that any points would be mere consolation. On seventy-two Grix went over from acting half as the Rhinos tired and Bridge goaled for 26-12. With two minutes left Harrison added another try after a good break down the left wing by Chris Riley but as Bridge missed the conversion the Wolves supporters started to move towards their fleet of busses knowing that they'd been outplayed by the Champions who'd given their own season a massive boost with a 26-16 win over one of the sides who are supposed to be contenders.

Make no mistake this was a massive win for the Rhinos, a bigger win for Leeds than it is a loss for the Wolves. Leeds showed immense character in defence, especially considering that they played almost the entire game without Peacock and the second half without Clarkson. This was just what the doctor ordered and will give us drive and determination going into the game at Oldslum next sunday and the following saturdays crucial cup game against the Warriors.

This was a performance fit to be called Champion. We're just hitting the straps as we head for the business end of the season. Bluey, the mastermind, seems to be working his magic again. How could any of us have doubted him?

Who won the McGuire/Briers battle? Take a look at the scoreline and you decide!