Harry Sunderland Trophy Lee Smith, Leeds Referees Ashley Klein Date 4 October 2008 Referee Ashley Klein | Jerusalem Katherine Jenkins Broadcasters Sky Sports Stadium Old Trafford Attendance 68,810 | |
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Location Manchester, United Kingdom Commentators Eddie Hemmings
Mike Stephenson
Phil Clarke Similar 2010 Super League G, 2012 Super League G, 2015 Super League G, 2014 Super League G, 2016 Super League G | ||
The 2008 Super League Grand Final was the conclusive and championship-deciding match of the Super League XIII season. Held on Saturday 4 October 2008, at Old Trafford, Manchester, the match was between League Leaders St Helens and defending champions from 2007 Leeds Rhinos.
Contents
Route to final
Regular season final standings
St Helens
Position in Super League table: 1st
Leeds Rhinos
Position in Super League table: 2nd
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. And the coin to see who kicked off was tossed by 12-year-old James Baxter who won the opportunity through a competition
Man of the Match
Harry Sunderland Trophy winner: Lee Smith, Leeds Rhinos
Significance
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.
2009 World Club Challenge
The Rhinos' win in the grand final earned them the right to play against the 2008 NRL season premiers, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles on 1 March 2009 in the World Club Challenge.