Leeds finished the regular season with the League Leaders Shield after a hard fought win away at Salford.
Tries from Luke Adamson and John Wilshere helped Salford to a deserved 12-0 lead but Leeds came back to level by the break thanks to Kallum Watkins and Jay Pitts scores.
The Rhinos took the lead for the first time in the second half with Luke Burgess and Brent Webb putting them 24-12 up. Salford fought back late on, but Carl Abletts try was enough for Leeds.
Paul, who has played in every Super League season, has signed to play for Leigh next season at the age of 33 and he was looking to end with a win, which his colleagues certainly tried to ensure with late scores from Stuart Littler and Stefan Ratchford taking the home team to within six points of their opponents.
It was a pass from Paul that created the break for Ratchford, although the 21-year-old still had a lot to do, sprinting past several Leeds defenders from within his own half. But the visiting team held on to finish the regular season four points clear of second-placed St Helens. With the final score of:
Salford 24-30 Leeds
Scorers
Salford
Tries: Adamson, Wilsher, Littler, Ratchford Goals: Wilshere 4
Leeds
Tries: Watkins, Pitts, Burgess, Webb, Ablett Goals: Smith 5
Teams
Salford: Fitzpatrick, Wilshere, Henry, Littler, McGilvray, Smith, Ratchford, Cashmere, Alker, Stapleton, Sibbit, Adamson, Swain. Replacements: Leuluai, Paul, Sidlow, Nash.
Leeds: Webb, Donald, Smith, Watkins, Hall, Ablett, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Lauitiiti, Kirke, Worrall. Replacements: Jones-Bishop, Bailey, Burgess, Pitts.
Referee: T Alibert (Toulouse)
The Rhinos are the current Super League champions and will have to come through the restructured end-of-season play-offs if they are to retain their title. Leeds will meet either Hull KR or Huddersfield at Headingley in their opening play-off game next Friday.
