50 Games in, Holmes’ strike rate is second to none

Flying through the Sharks junior representative ranks, Valentine Holmes was a player very quickly earmarked by good judges; deemed a young star oozing plenty of potential and promise.

Tonight playing his 50^th NRL match in taking on the Raiders at Southern Cross Group Stadium, Holmes has proved himself, and by no small measure, not only a genuine first grader – but a superstar in the making.

50 games into an NRL career, no Shark – not one of the other 504 players to pull on a black, white and blue jersey – had boasted a better try-scoring rate than Valentine Holmes.

Speaking exclusively with sharks.com.au ahead of this his first ‘milestone’ match in the top grade – besides that of his debut against the Eels way back in 2014 – the humble 21-year-old was quick to credit his success to the assistance of his Sharks team mates.

“To be able to play in the team that I’m in now, it’s awesome,” he said.

“The calibre of Paul Gallen, and Michael Ennis … Luke Lewis, Benny Barba … I’ve scored some lucky tries from the likes of Benny setting me up.

With 35 tries inside his 49 NRL games played, history shows that Holmes can only expect to see even more successes as age and experience comes about.

Sharks legends and try scoring sensations Andrew Ettingshausen, David Peachey and Mat Rogers all went on to better their strike rate after 50 games, to that when they finished their respective times at the Club.

“It’s not something I go out thinking about, how many tries I’ll score,” Holmes said.

“For me, it’s about focussing on doing my role, and doing that well.

“(Scoring tries) is just one aspect of that. I’m really happy where I am at the moment.”

*Strike rate, tries per game (at Sharks)

** To play 50^th NRL game tonight 

Vision: Fox Sports Australia, Sky Sports NZ, Channel 9.
Audio: PAX -AM records