Leeds Rhinos all-time top-10 – No 2 John Holmes

Holmes was selected ahead of No 10 Eric Harris, No 9 Joe Thompson, No 8 John Atkinson, No 7 Mick Shoebottom, No 6 Jamie Peacock, No 5 Garry Schofield, No 4 Danny McGuire and No 3 Lewis Jones. Our number one will be announced tomorrow.

Do you agree with our selections? Email your top-10 to [email protected] or Tweet @YEPSportsdesk.

A statue of John Holmes will soon take pride of place at Emerald Headingley as a fitting tribute to a phenomenal player.

Holmes played 625 times for Leeds between 1968 and 1989, an appearance total which will probably never be beaten.

A local lad, from Kirkstall, he burst on to the scene as a talented teenage full-back, but was best known as a stand-off who was years ahead of his time.

Playing during a brutal era, when taking out the opposition’s dangerman was an accepted tactic, Holmes had to think on his feet and his vision and awareness was second to none.

In March, 1973, Leeds beat Salford 12-7 in the Players Trophy final at Huddersfield’s Fartown ground. Winger John Atkinson scored both the Loiners’ tries – one of them coming from a remarkable lobbed pass by Holmes which cut out at least three players.

That was one example of his genius, another was the part he played in Leeds’ sensational comeback at Wembley in 1978. Trailing 10-0 to St Helens after 12 minutes, Leeds rallied and went ahead late on through a stupendous left-footed drop goal by Holmes, who was falling at the time and almost grounded before he put boot to ball.

That was one of 34 drop goals kicked in his career. He also landed 519 place kicks – including 157 in the 1970-71 season – before giving up marksman duties and ran in 153 tries for a points tally of 1,554.

A Challenge Cup winner in 1977, he played in Leeds’ Championship success five years earlier. Capped 20 times by Great Britain, between 1971-82, Holmes was among the first four players inducted into Rhinos’ hall of fame.

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