London--Leeds Rhinos got a monkey off their backs by winning last year's Challenge Cup, but Joel Moon says that he and his team-mates remain just as hungry this time around.
The Rhinos' 2014 success, culminating in a 23-10 win over Castleford Tigers at Wembley, ended a run of six successive final defeats and sent the trophy to Headingley for the first time since 1999.
Former Brisbane Bronco Moon, who only joined the club in 2013, had not been through the same heartache as other Rhinos stalwarts like captain Kevin Sinfield before breaking open the champagne.
But having never experienced a final before in his career, the 26-year-old has acquired a taste for it and is thirsty for more, starting with Saturday's sixth-round clash against local rivals Huddersfield Giants.
"It was a great experience last year, something very special that I really enjoyed," he said.
"And we are desperate to defend the title. We are just as hungry as last year and we have that experience behind us, which could be a big help."
If the Rhinos are to become the first team since Warrington in 2010 to defend the historic title, they will have to do it the hard way.
Their sixth-round draw could not be much harder as they face Super League rivals Huddersfield, a team who they drew against in a 24-24 thriller a fortnight ago.
Though still top of the table in Super League, the Rhinos have failed to win in their last three matches, but Moon is adamant that the rot will stop there.
"We have been out in front for a long time. We were playing really well at the start of the season," he said.
"And it will not take much to get us back to that. It is just a few little things going wrong. We can fix that easily."
AFP
