Leeds rugby league team complete 'threepeat': Hunslet ARLFC secure 3rd successive title
Hunslet ARLFC completed an incredible three-peat with a performance which typified their season.
The south Leeds side secured their third successive National Conference Premier Division title the hard way, hitting back from 8-0 down at half-time to beat Siddal 24-12 in the Grand Final at Featherstone Rovers’ Millennium Stadium. That came after they finished fourth on the league table, six points behind the Halifax-based league leaders.
Hunslet played the first 10 minutes of the second period with only 12 men, following Jamie Fields’ yellow card for dissent as the half-time whistle blew, but scored two converted tries in that time to grab a shock lead.
Ben Shulver crossed off a pass from Jack McShane, who then touched down himself from Josh McLelland’s offload. Siddal pulled a try back through Henry Turner to level the scores on the hour, but Jordan Gale went over with 15 minutes left and George Clarke sealed victory with a 72nd minute try. Gale converted all four touchdowns. Harvey Williams and Oliver Lewis were Siddal’s first half try scorers.
It was an emotional win for Hunslet, less than a week after the death of former player Omar Mehdi, aged just 42. He was remembered with a period of silence before kick-off and applause in the 12th minute of the game.
Meanwhile, Dewsbury Moor Maroons will be playing alongside Hunslet in the top-flight next year after Greg Colbridge’s try, which he also converted, six minutes from time secured a 16-10 win over Ince Rose Bridge in the Division One promotion final. Luke Adamson and Joseph Berry were Moor’s other try scorers, Colbridge converting the first of those.