Super League’s fastest ever hat-trick which was scored in one of the biggest games

On the 23rd July 2004, St Helens arrived at Headingley Stadium.

The Saints had not been beaten by Leeds Rhinos in 2004 yet this was despite the dominance of the Rhinos in Super League.

St Helens lifted the Challenge Cup in May and beat Leeds on the way to the final as well as defeating Leeds 56-10 in the league in one of Leeds’ two defeats that season.

So, when the Saints arrived at Headingley, the Rhinos had something to prove and by the 20th minute they led 26-0.

In fact after 8 minutes, they led 18-0 and part of this sensational dominance was the fastest hat-trick in Super League history.

After Marcus Bai had scored from a brilliant Keith Senior offload in the first set of the game, Danny McGuire scored a hat-trick in under eight minutes.

The first try of his hat-trick was dotted down at 5:30 on the clock. This came after a left sided play with Bai down the wing finding Keith Senior in support only for him to offload to McGuire to score.

From the very next set, a Kevin Sinfield break supported by Matt Diskin, McGuire was in support to score at the 7:52 mark.

He would have to wait a little long for his third but it came less than eight minutes since his first at 13:17. This was thanks to a great Marcus Bai break before McGuire speeded away.

Leeds would go on to win 70-0 as Bai scored a hat-trick himself.

Meanwhile, McGuire’s hat-trick equalled Paul Newlove’s eight year record for most tries in a Super League season at 28.

McGuire would then break the record a week later against Wakefield Trinity.