Leeds Rhinos top-10 moments – No 6 – the signing of Jamie Peacock

Rhinos pulled off a major coup when Peacock’s arrival was announced on September 1, 2005.

The second-rower penned a four-year deal with his hometown club after a glittering Bulls career which earned him two Challenge Cup winner’s medals – both against Leeds – as well as a couple of Grand Final rings and three World Club titles.

The Stanningley product added to his Grand Final tally in his final appearance for Bradford, captaining them to an Old Trafford victory against Rhinos.

After inflicting so much pain on Leeds, the tables weren’t turned overnight. Peacock took a while to adapt, making only a limited impact during the 2006 campaign, but his Rhinos career took off the following season and he became Leeds’ greatest-ever signing from another rugby league club.

During 10 seasons with Rhinos, Peacock appeared in six Grand Final-winning teams, doubled his haul of Challenge Cup gold medals and played in two more World Club Challenge victories, as well helping Leeds to the league leaders’ shield in 2009 and 2015.

His greatest achievement came in his final season when he was at the heart of Rhinos’ historic clean sweep of all major domestic trophies.

Though Kevin Sinfield captained Rhinos throughout Peacock’s time at the club, the former Bradford man was an inspirational on-field leader, matching a fierce will to win with his non-stop work rate.

A regular in the Super League Dream Team, Peacock made 288 appearances for Rhinos before joining Hull KR as football manager for the 2016 season. He returned to Headingley in 2018 to work in Rhinos’ commercial sales department.

Peacock played in a series of very good Leeds teams, alongside some of the best players in the club’s history, but it is doubtful they would have enjoyed as much success as they did from 2006-2015 without him in their squad. His departure also significantly weakened Bulls who have not reached a major final since 2005.

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