Leeds Rhinos induct four club legends into their Hall of Fame

Leeds Rhinos inducted four new members into the club’s Hall of Fame at a special celebratory dinner at Headingley last week.

The four inductees are Jamie Peacock MBE, Bob Haigh, Mick Shoebottom and Stan Satterthwaite.

Now in its sixth year, the Hall of Fame has been created to recognise the greatest players in the club’s long history.

The event also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Championship Final win and the 2012 World Club Challenge and Grand Final victory, with members of both teams present on the night.

The criteria for candidates to be considered for the Hall of Fame were devised by the Leeds RL Heritage Committee, which forms part of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation.

To be nominated, a player must have played a minimum of 150 first-team games for Leeds, have made an exceptional contribution to rugby in Leeds and achieved representative honours during his playing career.

Forward Stan Satterthwaite was a Cumbrian by birth but his home was at Headingley, where he played 332 games either side of the Second World War. After his playing career he dedicated his life to the club, holding various positions for most of his life.

Mick Shoebottom crossed the River Aire to become a superstar at Leeds. He made 288 appearances, winning the Challenge Cup in 1968, the Championship in 1969 and the Yorkshire Cup in 1968 and 1970. However, it could have been so much more had his career not be ended by a life changing injury suffered whilst in the act of scoring at Headingley against Salford in May 1971.

Bob Haigh joined Leeds for £6,000 from Wakefield Trinity in 1970, reuniting with coach Derek Turner. His impact was almost immediate in his first full season when he scored 40 tries, a record for a forward at the time, and only surpassed by Ellery Hanley during his time at Leeds.

Treble winner Jamie Peacock MBE made up the class of 2022, having achieved every possible honour in the game. Peacock joined his home town club from Bradford Bulls in 2006 and was part of a period of unprecedented success at Headingley before retiring after having completed the treble of Challenge Cup, Championship and League Leaders’ Shield in 2015.

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