Incredible stat shows Leeds Rhinos on course for record Super League season

With 25 of the 27 Betfred Super League rounds played, Rhinos have conceded only 272 points at an average of 10.88 per game. Incredibly, that is almost five points per match better than their previous record for the weekly rounds and the three clean sheets so far equals their most in a Super League campaign.

Rhinos’ meanest Super League defence was their 2008 Grand Final-winning side, who leaked 413 points in 27 regular season games at an average of 15.30. That record will be smashed this year, if Leeds can avoid conceding 141 points to Catalans Dragons and Wigan Warriors in their remaining fixtures. The only other seasons when Rhinos conceded an average of less than 16 points per match were 2004 (15.82) and 2014 (15.59).

Rhinos have nilled the opposition in their past two games, at Hull FC and Huddersfield Giants and also kept Salford Red Devils scoreless earlier in the season. That total could have been even higher; Leeds have kept a zero scoreline in the first half of their last four matches and conceded just once, inside the final five minutes, during two of those.

The other years when Rhinos kept three clean sheets in the league were 2004 - when they topped the table and won their first Super League title - and two years ago. Rhinos’ worst defensive effort was in the inaugural 1996 Super League campaign when they leaked 745 points in 22 matches, at an average of 33.86. Leeds didn’t keep any opposition scoreless in the first eight Super league seasons. Here’s how Rhinos’ 2025 defence compares to previous years, based on league matches only.

1996: 745 points conceded in 22 games (average of 33.86 per match). No clean sheets.

1997: 465 conceded in 22 games (average 19.82). No clean sheets.

1998: 369 conceded in 23 games (average 16.04). No clean sheets.

1999: 558 conceded in 30 games (average 18.6). No clean sheets.

2000: 626 conceded in 28 games (average 22.36). No clean sheets.

2001: 721 conceded in 28 games (average 25.75). No clean sheets.

2002: 700 conceded in 28 games (average 25). No clean sheets.

2003: 555 conceded in 28 games (average 19.82). No clean sheets.

2004: 443 conceded in 28 games (average 15.82). Three clean sheets.

2005: 505 conceded in 28 games (average 18.04). Two clean sheets.

2006: 543 conceded in 28 games (average 19.39). Two clean sheets.

2007: 487 conceded in 27 games (average 18.04). No clean sheets.

2008: 413 conceded in 27 games (average 15.30). One clean sheet.

2009: 453 conceded in 27 games (average 16.78). One clean sheet.

2010: 561 conceded in 27 games (average 20.78). No clean sheets.

2011: 603 conceded in 27 games (average 22.33). Two clean sheets.

2012: 662 conceded in 27 games (average 24.52). No clean sheets.

2013: 507 conceded in 27 games (average 18.78). No clean sheets.

2014: 421 conceded in 27 games (average 15.59). No clean sheets.

2015: 650 conceded in 30 games (average 21.67). No clean sheets.

2016: 670 conceded in 30 games* (average 22.33). Two clean sheets.

2017: 623 conceded in 30 games (average 20.77). One clean sheet.

2018: 664 conceded in 30 games * (average 22.13). Two clean sheets.

2019: 644 conceded in 29 games (average 22.21). Two clean sheets.

2020: 390 conceded in 17 games (average 22.94). One clean sheet.

2021: 440 conceded in 24 games (average 18.33). One lean sheet.

2022: 528 conceded in 27 games (average 19.56). One clean sheet.

2023: 534 conceded in 27 games (average 19.78). Three clean sheets.

2024: 488 conceded in 27 games (average 18.07). No clean sheets.

2025: 272 conceded in 25 games (average 10.88). Three clean sheets.

*includes middle-eights.