That was 3 years ago, I’m not for one minute suggesting he won’t be good I’m just confused by the amount of people who appear to have strong opinions on a player who has played very little super league and only half a season of championship, when Ryan brierly joined he had been stand out player in championship, Holmes was going ok for fev but wasn’t dominating at that level yet people are saying how he can control a game, at fev ridyard called the shots not Holmes

I've seen every Fev game this year and watched Brierley loads of times and Holmes is definitely a more complete half back than Brierley. He isn't the type of player to back up someone else's break and go 50 yards like Brierley can, and he also doesn't kick goals as far as I'm aware, but he's far better and more natural linking with his three quarters and making sure that passing movements are speedy and flowing, he is far better defensively than Brierley, and better kicking out of hand too.

As for the comparisons with Ridyard, the "calling the shots" comment might literally be true with regard to seniority and making the play calls etc, but at the time he got injured Holmes was second in the Fev supporters' MOTM table on our forum (behind Luke Briscoe, and well in front of Ridyard, who was pretty good himself until he got injured), which is usually a pretty solid guide to how well everyone has played -as I mentioned earlier, Holmes played a big role in Briscoe's record-breaking season down that right-hand side.

So was Holmes ahead of Thackeray until he got injured or were they swapping and changing, I’ve seen Holmes play hooker a few times but not in the halves, would you say he controls games like some on here Have said?

Holmes was definitely ahead of Thackeray. Thacks is a decent player at Championship level but he's more of a running half back and you wouldn't see the slick passing movements with him that you see with Holmes. Thackeray had been the starting 7 for Fev for the last 2 years but had to switch to full back or centre to get a game, neither of which are really his positions.

Am not sure I would say Holmes controls games as such, you don't come away from the game thinking wow he was unplayable today, he's not that kind of half back, but he is still only 22 and he is lively, enthusiastic and executes plays well.

How he will recover from the injury I don't know, of course. For me, I doubt he's a future international or anything, but looking at the players I've seen in the Championship that graduated to SL in recent years I'd have him over Brierley, Danny Craven and probably Gaskell (though I haven't seen much of Gaskell for Huddersfield).

Cheers for the info

Funny but same kind of thing my Cas mates have been saying....

And as far as I’m concerned when I say controlling I don’t mean dictating play.

So what’s your definition of a controlling halve? And you said you saw him play not what your mates told you,

Yes- both are true- and what I’ve based my comments on.

A controlling half is one who correctly executes plays and doesn’t die with the ball in his hands. Finishes sets well.

So you saw him 3 years ago in the academy and your mates saw the 8 times he started for cas since he made debut in 2015? And that’s what your opinion is based on, please, at least the guy from fev knows what he’s talking about as he’s seen him play up close and recent

Oh dear- you just hate it when I’m right don’t you.
Funny though that this fev guy is saying much the same thing I did.
Wonder if you will be saying what a great signing for Woolford or a poor signing for thewlis he turned out to be further down the line.