'I can’t see this team not being in the Grand Final next year': Leeds Rhinos plotting Old Trafford return

After making the worst start to a campaign in the club’s history, winning only one of their opening 10 competitive games, Rhinos climbed from 11th in Betfred Super League in April to a final position of fifth, for the third successive year.

They then pulled off shock play-off victories at fourth-placed Catalans Dragons and Wigan Warriors who were second, before reigning champions and league leaders St Helens proved too strong, winning 24-12 in the title decider.

Rhinos were hit by suspensions and injuries all year and half-back Aidan Sezer missed the Grand Final because of concussion, joining David Fusitu’a, Harry Newman, Tom Holroyd - who didn’t play a first team game in 2022 - and Morgan Gannon on the casualty list.

In the circumstances, Donaldson reckons it was an achievement to go down to the last game of the campaign and felt it was a positive experience, despite the result.

“From where we were at the start of the season, where we got to was unbelievable,” Donaldson said.

“Obviously, everyone’s disappointed we lost, but there’s a foundation to build on for next year.

“I am bitterly disappointed, but I honestly can’t see this team not being there [in the Grand Final] next year, the way things are going at the moment.”

Donaldson added: “What Rohan has done and the coaching staff have done has been brilliant. We just missed opportunities out there on the field.

“If a couple of things had gone our way it would have been a different game, but Saints are a top-class team, that’s their fourth [title] in a row now so it’s tough to stop their momentum. We are going to have to come back next season and do that.”

Saints have featured in all but the first of the Grand Finals since Leeds’ previous Old Trafford appearance in 2017 and Donaldson reckons having been through the build-up, as well as the event itself, will be invaluable for Rhinos in the future.

He said: “There’s a lot of players within our squad who have played in big games, but we will definitely take a lot out of it.

“We’ve been through that experience now and we’ll know what to expect. There’s a lot to work on in the off-season, we haven’t done a pre-season with Rohan yet and I think there’s a few things we can build on to make us a better team and better players. I can only see this team going on to better things next year. “

Donaldson played in 23 of Rhinos’ 31 competitive matches this season, recovering from knee surgery to be ever-present during their play-off campaign.

The forward suffered two anterior cruciate ligament injuries during his time with Bradford Bulls and another after joining Hull KR, all before he turned 27.

Having battled back from those, he found himself without a club when the Robins opted not to retain him at the end of 2018, but a move to Leeds, initially on loan, revived his career.

He was part of Rhinos’ Challenge Cup-winning team in 2020, but last Saturday was the first Grand Final in his 14th season as a professional player.

“I was coming back from a team walk [before the final] and it kind of hit me, the road we’ve been on,” he recalled.

“But I am grateful for the journey and I don’t regret a thing that’s happened in my career because it has got me to where I am now.

“It would have been nice to go a step further and win it, but we will be back better and stronger next year.”

Leeds will have a new-look squad in 2023 with Liam Sutcliffe, Brad Dwyer, Bodene Thompson, Jack Broadbent and Muizz Mustapha all moving on and Justin Sangare, James McDonnell and Toby Warren being confirmed signings so far.

Changes are also afoot behind the scenes as Jamie Jones-Buchanan takes a new role outside the rugby department and fellow assistant-coach Sean Long also moves on, along with team manager Jason Davidson.

Head of analysis James Bletsoe has confirmed he is taking a “step back” from his day-to-day role, though he will remain involved at the club.