Career Record for Featherstone
Appearances			Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Total	Start	Sub
190	153	37	53	1	0	161

When coach Peter Fox took Rovers to Wembley in successive seasons in 1973 and 1974, one of his declared requirements was that you need running forwards at Wembley. He had chosen Alan Rhodes in his 1973 side and in 1974, with competition from Busfield, he again selected Rhodes for his ability to run, particularly out wide. Against Bradford in the 1973 final, Rhodes's style was most effective in the first half when, having chosen the running game, Rovers powered in for 17 points in the first 20 minutes to lay the foundations for an emphatic 33-14 victory.  In 1974 however, they were not allowed as much scope against the Warrington side and were beaten 24-9 in a disappointing game.

Signed from Featherstone Juniors in January 1968, Rhodes made his senior debut at home to Hunslet on 2 March 1968, one of three appearances he made that season. There was strong competition amongst the forwards with Arnie Morgan, Jimmy Thompson, Stan Nicholson and Steve Lyons in full flow and he had the occasional game at prop but with some players departing he was able to establish himself in the early 1970s. He had scored his first try at Bramley in September 1968, but as his style developed, more opportunities for tries emerged and he took them. He had pace and with his roving commission he was always in support of colleagues to take the short ball and go through the gap. His characteristic diagonal running as he tore through defences, thrilled the crowds and with 15 tries in 1971/72 and 14 in 1972/73, he was amongst the club's leading try-scorers. He had a hat-trick at home to Doncaster on 27 December 1971, when he was in outstanding form.

Apart from his Wembley medals, he also played in the Yorkshire Cup final v Leeds in November 1970 and the Captain Morgan Trophy final against Warrington in January 1974, both games ending in defeat for the Rovers. With a re-shaped pack emerging in the mid-1970s - a pack which was to be the driving force of the First Division he realised his chances would be more limited and he moved to Castleford for £2,500 in January 1975. There, he had a brief career, making only 13 appearances. He later turned to coaching at York, Doncaster and Sheffield.

Biography by Ron Bailey