Leeds go into the Challenge Cup final against Yorkshire rivals Castleford at Wembley on Saturday desperate to end a 15-year hoodoo but for Joel Moon history means nothing.
The Australian former New Zealand Warriors centre is in only his second season at the Rhinos and has not therefore played a part in the six final defeats that the Leeds faithful have had to endure since their last win back in 1999.
Indeed, the 26-year-old centre has never played in a final before, either in Europe or in Australia's NRL.
All of which means that while much of the talk ahead of this weekend is about club captain Kevin Sinfield's search for that elusive Challenge Cup winner's medal, Moon insists he is living in the here and now.
"Coming from Australia, I didn't realise quite how important the Challenge Cup was," he said. "But once you have played in a game you realise how big it is.
"I have never played in a final before in my career so I just cannot wait to get out there and soak it all up. I have only been here two years, this is all new to me.
"I guess you could say it's the biggest game of my career but the only thing I can really think about is getting out there and doing my bit, we are all pretty excited."
Castleford, however, will present a stern test, having beaten the Rhinos last year in Super League and held Leeds to a dramatic 24-24 draw when they met earlier this season.
That league clash was marred by a red card for Sinfield, the first of his 17-year career, for a headbutt on Luke Dorn and the Australian half-back at the centre of the incident is confident the Tigers can upset the odds.
"I think it's going to be a great game for the neutral," said Dorn, who has been an inspiration for Castleford this season since joining for a second spell from London Broncos.
"I knew we would go well but I don't think this was in the plans. I knew we would compete in Super League with the squad that (coach) Daryl (Powell) had assembled, but to be walking out at Wembley has surpassed my expectations in a big way."
But ahead of a final that has put his unenviable record firmly in the spotlight, the last word must go to Sinfield.
The 33-year-old featured in five of the Rhinos' six Challenge Cup final losses this century and along with fellow club stalwarts Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Ryan Bailey and Danny McGuire is desperate to end the long wait.
"We've put a lot of focus on this over the last 10 years: we don't have a bad record apart from the finals," said the captain.
"Everybody focuses on the fact we haven't won one for a long time and justifiably so, so we're desperate to win."
Source: AFP
