2008 (2008) Super League Grand Final  ()
St Helens Leeds Rhinos 16 24
1 2 Total ST H 6 10 16 LEE 12 12 24
Date	4 October 2008
Stadium	Old Trafford
Location	Manchester, United Kingdom
Harry Sunderland Trophy	Lee Smith, Leeds
Jerusalem	Katherine Jenkins
Referee	Ashley Klein
Attendance	68,810
Broadcast partner
Broadcaster	Sky Sports
Commentators	Eddie Hemmings, Mike Stephenson, Phil Clarke
< 2007 Super League Grand Final 2009 >

The 2008 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 4 October 2008, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The match was between Super League XIII League Leaders St Helens and defending champions from 2007 Leeds Rhinos.

[edit] Route to final

Regular season final standings

	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	St Helens	27	21	1	5	940	457	+483	43
2	Leeds Rhinos	27	21	0	6	863	413	+450	42

[edit] St Helens

Position in Super League table: 1st

• Qualifying semi-final: Won 38-10 v Leeds

[edit] Leeds Rhinos

Position in Super League table: 2nd

• Qualifying semi-final Lost 38-10 to St Helens

• Final eliminator: Won 18-14 v Wigan Warriors

[edit] Pre-match

Pre-match entertainment was provided by Scouting for Girls, who performed a four song set, and Katherine Jenkins. Jenkins returned a year after bring forced to withdraw from the 2007 game to perform the Grand Final anthem, Jerusalem.

[edit] Teams

St Helens	Positions	Leeds Rhinos
Paul Wellens	Fullback	Lee Smith
Ade Gardner	Winger	Ryan Hall
Matthew Gidley	Centre	Carl Ablett
Willie Talau	Centre	Keith Senior
Francis Meli	Winger	Scott Donald
Leon Pryce	Stand Off	Danny McGuire
Sean Long	Scrum Half	Rob Burrow
James Graham	Prop	Kylie Leuluai
Keiron Cunningham (c)	Hooker	Matt Diskin
Bryn Hargreaves	Prop	Jamie Peacock
Lee Gilmour	2nd Row	Jamie Jones-Buchanan
Jon Wilkin	2nd Row	Gareth Ellis
Chris Flannery	Loose Forward	Kevin Sinfield (c)
James Roby	Interchange	Ali Lauitiiti
Nick Fozzard	Interchange	Ryan Bailey
Paul Clough	Interchange	Nick Scruton
Maurie Fa'asavalu	Interchange	Ian Kirke
Daniel Anderson	Coach	Brian McClennan

[edit] Match details

4 October 2008 18:00 UTC+1	St Helens	16 - 24	Leeds Rhinos	Old Trafford, Manchester Attendance: 68,810 Referee: Ashley Klein (Australia)
	Tries: Graham 6' Gidley 43' Gardner 59' Goals: Long (2)	Report	Tries: Smith 24' Hall 37' McGuire 49', 63' Goals: Sinfield (4)

[edit] Man of the Match

Harry Sunderland Trophy winner: Lee Smith, Leeds Rhinos

[edit] Significance

Leeds Rhinos celebrate their 2008 Super League Grand Final victory over St Helens at Old Trafford

This game was the last in Leeds' colours for Gareth Ellis and Nick Scruton, who join Wests Tigers and Bradford Bulls in 2009, respectively. Similarly, it was the last game Nick Fozzard and Willie Talau played for Saints as they head to Hull KR and Salford City Reds in 2009, respectively. It was also Daniel Anderson's last game in charge of Saints.

Leeds' achievement of winning consecutive Super League titles marks the first time in their history that the club have managed to defend the Championship.

Leeds' victory also marked the first time that a Super League team had won both the World Club Challenge and the Grand Final in the same calendar year.^[1]

[edit] See also

• Super League XIII

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• BBC Match Report
• Independent Match Report