“He was world class at the start of his career and world class at the very end” – Our YEP Jury select their favourite Leeds Rhinos stand-offs

MATT FOWLER

Today is our favourite stand -off day. This was probably the easiest decision to make of all the players I have seen in my lifetime to wear the famous No.6 for Leeds.

Danny McGuire is the best I have seen play for Leeds. He burst on to the seen as a fast, try-scoring, support-playing stand-off scoring some classic tries.

Like many world-class stand-offs his game developed over his illustrious career and he had the ability and mental capacity to keep ahead of his rivals. It is what sets him apart from all the rest.

He was world class at the start of his career and world class at the very end. He was an absolute joy to watch. A Leeds lad winning everything for his boyhood club. When the big games came around McGuire showed up time and time again. Eight Grand Final tries in nine appearances speaks for itself.

He led from the front and produced magic moments that will live long in the memory of many Leeds fans.

Just close your eyes, everyone reading this will have a favourite McGuire try or magic moment. A real icon of the game.

ADAM ANDERSON

I hope everyone is coping well during the current coronavirus outbreak and praise has to be given to all the frontline staff that are working hard in this torrid and confusing time.

This week we’ve been asked to look at our favourite Leeds Rhinos players in the stand-off position, which is probably the easiest decision of all with Danny McGuire being the most successful stand-off the club has ever produced.

McGuire has scored tries at the most important times for the club and was in that pivotal position for so long – most notably the tries he scored in all those finals, especially in the 2004 Super League Grand Final. Without him and a number of other key players, we would not have had the success we have had.

Notable mentions must go to Kevin Sinfield in this position who played his part there as well as the loose-forward position and hopefully when youngster Callum McLelland comes into the first team he can be half as successful for the Leeds club as the two people mentioned above.

DIANNE HALL

Picking my favourite stand-off was an easy choice – Danny McGuire.

Coming up through the academy he made his first-team debut in 2001 but it was another couple of seasons until he became established and he quickly made himself a fans’ favourite. He is still the only man to score over 200 Super League tries and many of those came on big occasions when it really mattered.

His ability to cut open the opponents’ defensive line and his support play were second to none and he later switched to scrum-half when Kevin Sinfield reinvented himself as a stand-off.

“Sir Kev” as he is affectionally known to us all, would be my second choice. His leadership, game management and goal kicking were off the scale and more often than not, four points were converted to six.

Often berated by opposing ‘fans’, but many would have had him in their team like a shot!

I wish after winning every honour in the game that Kevin had won Man of Steel and Danny had finished his career at Headingley!

GRAHAM POULTER

Hello, hope all is well with everyone during these different, difficult times that we’re all enduring.

So this week we’re looking at the best stand-off to have played for this great club.

There has been several outstanding players whom have played in the position over the years, one who stands out is John Holmes. What I’ve heard about him is that he was an exceptional talent and no doubt he would have graced any pitch he played on, even now.

I just wish that I could have seen him play live.

The player I’ve selected wore the jersey with great distinction for many successful years – he is of course our local hero, Danny McGuire.

He was right at the top of his game for many seasons for both club and country. He was a great organiser and a fierce competitor and he had pace to burn which enabled him to score many sensational tries.

The one moment that stands out is the kick that he put through on the final hooter for Ryan Hall to run through to score the try that helped secure the league leaders’ shield at Huddersfield back in 2015.

CHRISTINE KIDD

I’m really enjoying the pieces from Brad Dwyer, Adam Cuthbertson and Lois Forsell at the moment. They are speaking to some very interesting and varied people.

This week we have to choose our best Leeds Rhinos stand-off. Many people will automatically say John Holmes or maybe even Garry Schofield or Iestyn Harris but as I didn’t see them play very often, so it has to be one of the players from the golden decade.

Which Rhino to choose is a very difficult decision. However Kevin Sinfield has to be my first choice.

He captained Leeds to their first Grand Final victory in 2004 and finished his career at the Rhinos in 2015 by captaining the team when they won the treble. He also won the Golden Boot in 2012.

Sinfield is Rhinos’ leading points scorer with 3,967 points. He captained Leeds during their most successful years to date.

He was a brilliant leader on the field, a great organiser and reader of the game. He saved his best performances for the big games and he played in plenty of those.

IAN SHARP

On to our favourite stand-offs this week, and we have been blessed with many over the years, but growing up one name was on my Leeds shirt, and that was Garry Schofield.

Not only a Leeds legend, at the time he retired he had the most caps for Great Britain and in 1990 was awarded the Golden Boot for his displays in the test series win in New Zealand, and the win over the Aussies at Wembley.

Signing for Leeds in 1987 for a world record fee, of £150,000, he made 250 appearances for Leeds, scored over 700 points, and was named Man of Steel in 1991.

There is nothing really left to say about Danny McGuire that has not been said before, Bursting on to the scene in 2001, he then went on the become one of the best half-backs the club and the game has ever seen.

Winning eight Super League titles, two Challenge Cups, three World Club Challenges and three league leaders’ shields.

One of only three men to win the Harry Sunderland twice – in 2015, and his amazing display in the defeat of Castleford Tigers in 2017.

****

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. These are challenging times but the team at the Yorkshire Evening Post need your support more than ever in the weeks ahead.

While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you - wherever possible and providing it is safe for you to do so - to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Inevitably falling advertising revenues will start to have an impact on local newspapers and the way we continue to work during this period of uncertainty. So the support of our readers has never been more important as we try to make sure that we keep you connected with the city you live in during this time. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. We need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Our team of trusted reporters are working incredibly hard behind the scenes- from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms - to look at how we can do this and your continued support to the YEP will help to protect its viability in the days and weeks ahead.

For more details on our subscription offers please visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk/YEP, email [email protected] or call us on 0330 4033004

Thank you, Laura Collins, Editor