In 2004, for example, they lost just two league games and finished top of the Super League table by a massive nine-point margin.

This year, they were beaten six times in league action and finished second in the league, but in terms of degree of difficulty, of the obstacles overcome and the style in which ultimate glory was achieved, the season just finished must surely rate as the club's greatest ever.

Added to that, with three gold rings to their name, Keith Senior, Danny McGuire, Rob Burrow, Matt Diskin, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Kevin Sinfield, Ali Lauitiiti and Ryan Bailey are now confirmed as all-time Leeds rugby league legends.

The 2004 title triumph was something of a procession, while last term Rhinos came good at exactly the right time, stunning defending champions St Helens with a brilliant performance in the engage Super League Grand Final.

This year they had to peak twice, in February, after just four regular season games, for the World Club Challenge showdown with Australian champions Melbourne Storm, then again in October, when it came to the play-offs and ultimately the Grand Final.

No other side has achieved the World Club/Super League double in the same calendar year, which makes Rhinos' achievement all the more astonishing.

Rhinos' two best performances came in their two finals. In terrible winter conditions, they out-fought Melbourne en-route to a 10-4 victory which saw them crowned world champions for the second time.

More than 800 tackles were made in that game, believed to be a world record.

The heavens opened again at Old Trafford seven days ago and Leeds – usually regarded as a top of the ground team – once more showed they are willing to roll their sleeves up, battering, out-enthusing, out-thinking and eventually out-playing red hot favourites Saints.

Incoming coach Brian McClennan had one of the toughest jobs in sport, trying to improve on the performance Leeds attained in last year's title decider, but – while a totally different character to his predecessor Tony Smith – he carried on the good work, building on what the previous boss had put in place.

McClennan arrived at Leeds as a famed motivator, but with question marks over his lack of top-level club experience and his technical nous, a patronising view which took no account of the facts – McClennan was, after all, a coach who had led New Zealand to Tri-Nations victory over Australia just three years earlier.

The lie was well and truly nailed by Leeds' performances against Melbourne and particularly last week, when McClennan got his game plan spot on and his players carried it out to perfection. Leeds' tactics of kicking early and pinning Saints near their own line wore the opposition down and set the platform for a momentous win, which hadn't seemed possible two weeks earlier.

McClennan did a staggering job turning around what had been Leeds' poorest performance of the season in the shattering qualifying semi-final defeat by Saints. He is also a coach his troops genuinely want to play for.

At Old Trafford Leeds handled the elements better than Saints, but champion teams are able to thrive in different conditions. One of Rhinos' best performances of the regular campaign was against Les Catalans Dragons in Perpignan in July, in 35 degree heat.

Wet weather rugby may have been Rhinos' speciality, but they certainly weren't all bump and barge. Rhinos had plenty of strike in 2008 and when they turned on the style they were terrific to watch, as was illustrated in their 44-2 Easter demolition of Bradford Bulls and the offloading masterclass away to Hull a few days later. Some of the tries that afternoon were mesmerising.

The season was far from plain sailing and Leeds did have a prolonged dip in June and July, which saw their six-point lead at the top of the table overhauled by Saints.

Injuries played a big part in that, but several key players lost their form at the same time.

The key thing for Rhinos was the fact they were able to work through that and get it back when it really mattered.

Over the course of the whole season, there was nothing to chose between Leeds and Saints and Rhinos would have topped the table had Rob Burrow's last-gasp penalty, away to Wigan in July, not drifted agonisingly just wide.

England skipper Jamie Peacock, unfairly derided by some supporters after his first season at the club in 2006, was a tower of strength for Rhinos this year and there can now be no doubt he is a world-class prop forward.

If he was unsettled by the prospect of Danny Buderus joining the club next season, hooker Matt Diskin didn't show it. He had big year, Gareth Ellis proved consistently why NRL club Wests Tigers were so keen to sign him, Kevin Sinfield was a model of consistency and Rob Burrow underlined his status as a scrum-half of pure class.

Lee Smith and Ryan Hall battled it out for the right wing spot, but the other flank was tied up by Scott Donald, who – after a low-key start – is rapidly becoming one of Leeds' finest imports of the modern era. His 26 tries was an excellent return and some of them – home to Hull, away to Catalans and Wakefield – were world class.

For all their attacking prowess, it was in defence that Leeds led the way, conceding fewer points – just 413 at an average of slightly over 15 per game – than any other team in the competition.

In the end, it was that – a magnificent and smart defensive performance in the Grand Final – which enabled Leeds to retain the championship for the first time and secured this year's team's status as the club's best-ever.