It'll be Hall right on the night

4:18pm Friday 2nd May 2008

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Recalled Ryan Hall is back in the Leeds side for the fixture in which he made his big-time debut last season.

The sprightly winger, then aged just 19, had never featured for the Rhinos first team until getting a late call-up for Millennium Magic.

Hall came into the squad and played his part in one of the most dramatic nights of Super League action ever.

"It definitely doesn't feel like a year ago, more like last week," he said ahead of the rematch, "I remember being quite nervous and then walking out and seeing all the flashing lights - and I ripped my socks thinking that won't be great on TV!

"But I wasn't too far away from Jordan (Tansey) when the ball hit the crossbar and he dived over. I just remember everyone jumping around amazed.

"A lot's happened since but it shows how time flies when you're having fun. I definitely am."

Hall, who had been playing amateur rugby for Oulton Raiders only a year before, went on to make eight starts, scoring three tries as Leeds eventually tasted Grand Final glory.

He has made four appearances this season, including one as a makeshift loose forward off the bench when the Rhinos defeated Bradford at Headingley.

Hall scored a spectacular brace at Huddersfield on the opening day but has not featured since the win at St Helens in round nine.

He returns for the champions tomorrow night at the expense of dropped England winger Lee Smith and said: "We know Bradford will be looking to put it all right after what happened at Headingley.

"That was a bad defeat for them and they'll be up for this massively. They don't want something like that happening again and we realise this is going to be a huge clash."

Under new boss Brian McClennan, front-runners Leeds have only lost twice this season and are five points clear of the chasing pack.

However, recent injury problems remain ahead of tonight's fixture - especially in the back row, with Great Britain star Gareth Ellis, red-hot Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Kiwi Ali Lauitiiti all out.

French loan signing Eric Anselme could make his debut while Clinton Toopi, Ian Kirke, Ashley Gibson and Danny Williams are also sidelined.

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