The veteran number six was the architect of last weekend's impressive 48-16 Northern Rail Cup victory over Whitehaven, setting up three tries and kicking eight goals as Matt Calland's side blew the Cumbrians off the park.

And Holroyd, a regular visitor to the Shay with Salford and Doncaster in the years between his departure in 1999 and his return last summer, believes the class of 2008 will provide a level of entertainment not seen since John Pendlebury's side finished third in Super League III.

"The football we are playing at the moment is the best I have seen from Halifax in the last 10 years," said Holroyd.

"We gave it to Whitehaven really, and I think it was one of our best performances for a long time.

"Some of the tries were really good and I think if Paul Smith had managed to take the chance we made for him late in the game it would have been a great try.

"I really think we can win the competition this year, for definite.

"Everyone is talking about Salford, Widnes and Leigh, but I am glad no one is mentioning us.

"If we stay injury free we have a great chance of sneaking up and pipping everyone at the post."

Holroyd is the only player in the Halifax ranks to have faced NRL opposition before, turning out for Leeds in the ill-fated 1997 World Club Championship.

And he believes the experience gained from the meeting with Craig Bellamy's Storm will give Calland's squad a solid base for the rest of the season.

"I played in the World Club Championship against North Queensland and Adelaide home and away, and in '94 I played for Leeds against the full Kangaroo side - Mal Meninga, Andrew Ettinghausen, Alan Langer and the rest," said Holroyd.

"That was a great experience for me at 18.

"It was massive just to see how they talked in the game and went about their business and you take things like that through your career with you.

"There is going to be big crowd here and hopefully we can do them justice and bring them back for the rest of the year."

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