22 Facts About Keith Holman

Keith Holman has since been named as one of Australia's finest rugby league players of the 20th century.

Keith Holman was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1977.

Keith Holman was born in Ballarat, Australia, and had an impoverished childhood during the Great Depression.

Keith Holman was taken in by a local family named Schofield who enabled him to be schooled by the De La Salle Brothers at Surry Hills.

Toward the end of the Second World War Keith Holman joined the RAAF as a Leading Aircraftman.

Keith Holman was a chef with 82 Wing, 23 Squadron and was posted to bases in Ipswich, Queensland and later after the Japanese surrender, at Morakai and Balikpapan in Borneo.

Keith Holman missed Wests' premiership victory in 1952 because he was selected for that year's Kangaroo tour.

Keith Holman was captain-coach at Wests for seasons 1954 and 1955.

Keith Holman started his representative career with selection for New South Wales in 1950 and continued to represent the Blues until 1958.

Also in 1950, Keith Holman made his test debut for Australia, figuring prominently in Australia's first Ashes conquest in 30 years.

Keith Holman was selected to represent Sydney against France during their 1951 tour of Australasia in a match that ended in a 19-all draw.

Keith Holman was the Australian selectors preferred halfback choice and regular in Test sides and World Cup squads from 1950 to 1958.

Keith Holman made 12 Test appearances against France and 6 appearances against New Zealand.

When his playing days were over Keith Holman turned to refereeing.

Keith Holman controlled the 1971 Grand Final and went on to referee the Tests of New Zealand's tour of Australia in 1972.

Keith Holman was a consistent first grade referee in 155 games from 1965 up to 1974.

Keith Holman coached Port Kembla in 1975 and 1976 and then had a final year active year in rugby league in 1977 when he coached his beloved Wests to victory in the 1977 Amco Cup, although the team underwent extreme criticism at the time for inept performances in the premiership competition.

Keith Holman had the rare honour of being made a life member of Western Suburbs while still playing.

Keith Holman was awarded Life Membership of the New South Wales Rugby League in 1983.

Keith Holman was later selected in the Wests Tigers Team of the Century and the Western Suburbs Magpies Team of the Century.

In 2007 Keith Holman was selected by a panel of experts at halfback in an Australian 'Team of the 50s'.

In February 2008, Keith Holman was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.