Martin became only the 14th player in the club’s 134-year history - and fifth of the Betfred Super League era - to reach 1,000 points for Leeds when he scored a hat-trick of tries and four goals in last Sunday’s 21-20 extra-time win at London Broncos. That 20-point haul took him to 1,006, just 14 behind Atkinson who is 13th on Leeds’ all-time list.
Another Hall of Fame member, Kevin Dick, is 12th on 1,054, but that looks out of reach for Martin with only three games remaining in the regular season and Rhinos facing an uphill struggle to snatch a play-off spot. Martin has signed a two-year contract with Hull KR and will make his final appearance at AMT Headingley as a home player against Hull FC on Friday.
“I knew I had 14 points left to get,” Martin said of hitting four-figures. “It’s something I wanted to tick off before the end of the year. It is a special thing for me and I am very proud of it.
“I’ve put a lot of work in behind the scenes and I’m very grateful to have had an opportunity to play for Leeds for so long. To get this milestone is something I will look back on and have great memories of my time at Leeds.”
The 31-year-old Papua New Guinea captain joined Rhinos from NRL outfit Canterbury Bulldogs midway through the 2019 season, making his debut in an 18-10 win at Castleford Tigers on July 5. He scored his first points a week later with a try when Rhinos were beaten 32-16 at Hull KR and his maiden goals for Leeds came in the following game, a 26-24 loss to Hull FC at Headingley.
As well as being a points machine, Martin has proved remarkably durable and versatile. He spent much of last season and the early part of 2024 playing at centre and has not missed a game since a controversial suspension two years ago.
He has played 129 times for Rhinos and his points have come from 39 tries and 425 goals. Club record try scorer Eric Harris - an Australian winger of the 1930s - and New Zealand full-back Bert Cook, in the 1940s/50s, are the only overseas players to have scored more points for Leeds.
Seven-time Grand Final-winning captain Kevin Sinfield appears untouchable as Rhinos’ record points scorer, with 3,967. Other players who have scored more than 1,000 points for Leeds since summer rugby began in 1996 are Iestyn Harris (1,455), Rob Burrow (1,103) and Danny McGuire (1,075). Here’s the full list of players to reach 1,000 points for Leeds.
1. Leeds Rhinos top points scorers
Rhyse Martin joined an exclusive group with his 20-point haul in Leeds Rhinos' win at London Broncos. Photo: John Clifton/SWpix.com
