Cup winner Oliver Holmes hails Leigh’s Wembley win as perfect answer to axing

OLIVER Holmes has the perfect answer to those that left him wondering if he was finished as a top line player – a Challenge Cup winners’ medal.

The back rower was dazed and confused after Warrington ditched him with two years left on his contract, nothing to do with the painkillers he was on after a knee operation a day later.

Oliver Holmes is smiling after winning the Challenge Cup with Leigh – months after he was axed by WarringtonSWPIX.COM

It meant doubts over whether he was up to the job and one main question, ‘Why?’

Now he can sit smiling after Leigh’s gang of gambles ended the club’s 52-year wait for Wembley glory with Lachlan Lam’s golden point drop goal.

“I was told I wasn’t wanted,” said Holmes. “It was an ego check, really upsetting and disappointing. It was the day before I had a knee operation too. My head was all over the place.

“You get into that mindset of, ‘I’ll prove you wrong. I’m better than you think I am,’ but then the doubt comes in. ‘Are they right? Is this the time for me? Am I kidding myself a bit?’

“At the end of the day, it’s business. I’ve got to respect that.

“After the anaesthetic and painkillers wore off, I looked at my options and signed at Leigh, who were newly promoted, and before I started training, I was a bit like, ‘I wonder what this year’s going to bring?’

“But once we got into pre-season, it was, ‘You know what, this is the right move for me.’ Nine months on, it’s proved that way.

“John Asiata goes on a lot about everything happening for a reason, I guess he’s right.”

Holmes’ comeback is mirrored across Leigh’s side. Zak Hardaker and Tom Briscoe were not offered suitable terms by Leeds, Josh Charnley considered retiring as life at Warrington destroyed his love for rugby league.

Robbie Mulhern and Jack Hughes were also ditched from the Halliwell Jones, skipper Asiata was turfed out of the NRL for refusing to have a Covid-19 jab and Edwin Ipape was found in Papua New Guinea’s mountains!

Holmes (with Ben Nakubuwai) was convinced Leigh was the place for him when training startedSWPIX.COM

Lam had showed his class by combining brilliantly with Kai O’Donnell for a try of his own before having a role in Briscoe’s score, with Ben Reynolds booting four goals.

But after Jez Litten’s try gave Hull KR a 6-2 lead, Matt Parcell’s in the dying seconds of the regulation 80 minutes saw Brad Schneider’s fourth goal lock the scores at 16-16.

However, misfits Leigh might be, winners they definitely are and Holmes believes this can be the start of something, as a personal shirt presentation highlighted.

The 31-year-old added: “The last five minutes were a bit crazy. We were in a final and Hull KR have more than a couple dangerous individuals.

“But no matter what’s happened, there’s always been the belief that we can turn things around.

Holmes won his first Challenge Cup final at the third attemptSWPIX.COM

“There had been a lot of talk during the week about people’s whys and their journeys here. Who’d have thought we’d have got here with Leigh?

“We had an emotional meeting at the hotel on Friday. Each player presented the next player’s shirt and said a little bit about them.

“Some lads were tearing up and struggling to speak. That brought us closer together, it made it that little bit more personal.

“And this is the start of something. We’re joint second in Super League and we’re conscious of a few occasions where clubs have dropped off after winning the Challenge Cup.

“A home semi-final, anything can happen and you’ve one shot at the Grand Final. We haven’t taken our eye off the League Leaders’ Shield yet either.”