Barrie McDermott inducted into Leeds Rhinos’ Hall of Fame

Front-row legend Barrie McDermott has become the first player from the Super League era to be inducted into Leeds Rhinos’ Hall of Fame.
Leeds Rhinos' Hall of Fame lunch yesterday.Leeds Rhinos' Hall of Fame lunch yesterday.
Leeds Rhinos' Hall of Fame lunch yesterday.

McDermott is one of four new members alongside the club’s two all-time leading try scorers, Eric Harris and John Atkinson and Syd Hynes who won a host of honours as both a player and coach in the 1960s and 70s. They were honoured during a lunch at Emerald Headingley today to mark the anniversaries of Leeds’ 1969 Championship final victory, the Premiership 10 years later, 1999 Challenge Cup final success and 2009 Grand Final triumph.

Hynes played in the 1969 game against Castleford and was coach when Leeds defeated Bradford Bulls in 1979. He played 366 times for Leeds from 1964-65 to 1976-77 and was coach until 1981. McDermott was among Leeds’ try scorers in their Wembley demolition of London Broncos 20 years ago. He scored 40 tries in 283 games for the club from 1995-2005.

Barrie McDermott.Barrie McDermott.
Barrie McDermott.
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Atkinson, who died in 2017, made 518 appearances and scored 340 tries, a total beaten only by the late Harris’ 392 tries – and 16 goals – in just 383 appearances from 1930-39.

The quartet join John Holmes, David Ward, Keith McLelland, Lewis Jones, Garry Schofield, Joe Thompson, Jeff Stevenson and Bev Risman as Hall of Fame members.

Criteria for inclusion are to have played at least 150 first team games for Leeds, made an exceptional contribution to rugby in the city, achieved representative honours during their playing career and been retired a minimum of five years.