Debut: Vs Bradford Northern (H) 22nd September 1995

Leeds Appearances: 283 (199 starts, 84 subs)

Leeds Tries: 40

Leeds Honours: Grand Final (Winner: 2004; Finalist: 2005), Challenge Cup (Winner: 1999; Finalist: 2000, 2003), World Club Challenge (Winner: 2005), League Leaders' Shield (2004)

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019

It is exceedingly rare that a true South Stand hero comes from outside the club’s local juniors, someone who is not ‘one of our own.’ It is even more unusual when they win over the Headingley cognoscenti and are born and bred ‘over the hill.’ Add in the fact that, historically, Leeds’ Achilles heel has been deemed to be a perceived soft underbelly in the engine room - a lack of those who intimidate the opposition just by the sight of their name on a team sheet - and his presence rectified that.

That changed in 1995 when Barrie McDermott was snared from Wigan for £100,000. The prop was signed by Wigan from Oldham for the 1994-95 season and made thirteen appearances throughout his first campaign as the cherry and whites completed the Challenge Cup and Championship double.

Ten years in Blue and Amber made him a firm fan favourite and a dominant prop in the new Super League era. Although a knee injury restricted him to 17 minutes on debut, he became a true cult figure based on his aggressive, impassioned displays. He was so much more than that with the traditional stock in trade of the role, a wonderful slipped pass. He also possessed that other characteristic quality for a rugby league player of the highest calibre, the ability to overcome adversity - his career so nearly ended before it began after an accident aged 15.

Arriving at Headingley at the turbulent start to the Super League era, he became a vital link in helping bring through the current ‘golden generation’, establishing them with the tools to become winners.  He notably scored a try in the 1999 Challenge Cup final and made regular appearances, which totalled up to 283 by 2005, before finishing his glorious career by becoming the first player in Rhinos’ history to win the League Leaders Shield, Challenge Cup, Super League Grand Final and the World Club Challenge. 

Internationally, having toured New Zealand with BARLA Youth in 1991, he subsequently earned 15 caps for Great Britain and a similar number for Ireland, whom he represented at the 2000 World Cup, as well as one for England.

Following an outstanding playing career that also included home town Oldham and Widnes, he worked as head of youth development at the Rhinos. In 2019, he became the first player of the modern era to be inducted into the Leeds Rugby Hall of Fame.