A-Z of Leeds Rhinos - 'J' is for...Just the once
In 1996 coach Dean Bell - who had played for Leeds 12 years earlier - came out of retirement for one afternoon only when the Loiners played host to Paris St Germain in a relegation scrap.
Fellow Kiwi Nathan Picchi suffered a dislocated shoulder on his debut the same season and was released at the end of that campaign.
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Hide AdInjury also restricted Aussie Paul Bell to just one Super League game, in 2000, though he also played in three Challenge Cup ties.
Michael Haley and Joe Chandler both made their lone appearance off the bench in a famous win over Castleford Tigers in 2008, when Rhinos were without 14 first-choice players including all their England men on Test duty.
Leeds’ other one-hit wonders are Phil Cantillon, Chris Chapman, Michael Coady, George Elliot, Jon Hepworth, Corey Johnson, Josh Jordan-Roberts, Jim Leatham, Jon Liddell, Dane Manning, Scott Murrell, Ben White and Harvey Whiteley.
‘J’ is also for...Jeopardy. Leeds were involved in Super League relegation battles in 1996, 2016, 2018 and 2019, managing to escape the drop on each occasion.
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Hide AdThe closest they have come to relegation from the top flight was in 1986-87 when four clubs dropped out of the 16-team Championship. Leeds finished one place outside the relegation zone, sending Oldham down on points difference.
‘J’ is also for...John Holmes, whose 625 games for Leeds is a club record. Leeds’ played 106 games over the 1971-72 and 1972-73 seasons, both of which included 53 fixtures and Holmes missed only five.
He made 50 appearances in 1971-72, when Leeds played 34 league matches, five in the JP and Challenge up competitions, four Championship play-offs, three Floodlit Trophy ties, the Lazenby Cup and Mick Shoebottom’s - mid-season - testimonial match against Great Britain.
The following season Holmes played 51 times, when Leeds were involved in 34 league games, plus six in the Player’s competition, four Yorkshire Cup ties, four Championship plays-offs, two games in the Floodlit Trophy, a Challenge Cup tie, the Lazenby Cup and a tour match against New Zealand.
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