As part of Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s commitment to preserve, protect and publicise the rich and varied heritage of Rugby League, our Heritage Committee has completed the task of giving a unique number to every player who has made a single appearance for the Leeds.
Throughout the year the committee will present former players with their Heritage Number and at the recent fixture between Leeds Rhinos and St Helens the following players were awarded their certificates.
Gary Moorby – 1127 v Hull (h) 9 October 1983
Gary Moorby arrived at Leeds from St Helens in the Autumn of 1983. He had originally joined Saints for a record £37,000 fee from Keighley in 1980-81. He made 66 appearance for the Knowsley Road club before he moved to Leeds in a straight exchange for prop forward Tony Burke. Gary's father, Frank also played for Keighley and Gary himself coached the club in 2003.
He impressed in his first season at Headingley, making 30 appearances but he was unable to regain that level of consistent selection during his other three seasons at the club. After Leeds, he returned to Keighley to play before taking up the coaching reigns.
Nick Fozzard – 1256 v St Helens (a) 13 April 1994
Nick Fozzard followed in his father Peter’s footsteps when he made his debut for Leeds at Knowsley Road. Having signed for Leeds from Shaw Cross ARL at the start of that season, he soon proved to have a bright future in the game.
He made 18 appearances in both of his last two seasons at Leeds before joining Huddersfield and then Warrington. However, it was as a Saint that he gained most recognition with a place in the 2007 Super League dream team, a Great Britain call up and won a Challenge Cup and World Club title.
He also played for Hull KR and Castleford before retiring aged 35 from a shoulder injury.
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Jim Leatham – 1250 v New Zealand (h) 24 October 1993
Prop Jim Leatham came through the Leeds Academy under Doug Laughton and made his first appearance in blue and amber in the tour game against New Zealand. The following season he made his league debut as a sub at Castleford before making his first start at Salford a fortnight later.
Having made eight appearances that year, Jim did not feature for the next two seasons before making his Super League debut in a 16-17 home loss to Wigan in 1997 on the same night as Iestyn Harris made his debut off the bench.
Leatham moved to Hull Sharks shortly after that and spent three seasons at The Boulevard before spells at Hunslet, Keighley and Dewsbury.
Tony Burke – 1111 v Wigan (a) 29 November 1981
Tony Burke joined Leeds from Bramley for £25,000 in November 1981 and immediately made an impact on his debut in a Cup defeat at Central Park.
A product of Corpus Christi ARLFC, he opted to join Bramley as a 19 year old and made 22 appearances, catching the eye of the Leeds management.
He spent just over two seasons at Headingley, making 69 appearances before moving to St Helens as part of the deal that saw Gary Moorby go the other way.
In 1984-85 Tony enjoyed his best ever season with the Saints, as an ever present over 42 appearances, defeating Wigan to win the Lancashire Cup Final and returning to his hometown as Saints dominated Hull KR in the Premiership Final at Elland Road.
He went on to appear in the 1987 and 1989 Challenge Cup Finals at Wembley,
And helped beat Leeds 15-14 in the 1988 John Player Cup Final. After six seasons and 216 appearances, he left Knowsley Road for the last time to join Warrington.