Playing Career
Vital Statistics
- Born
- Monday, 27th March, 1961
- Current Age
- 63 years and 61 days
Awards & Accolades
- Man Of Steel Award
- 1985, 1987, 1989
- Golden Boot Award
- 1988
- Lance Todd Trophy
- 1989
- English Hall Of Fame
- 2005
- International Hall Of Fame
- 2005
Known Family Links
- Son
- Umyla Hanley
Biography
Brilliant Great Britain Test star played wing, centre, five-eighth and lock for his country before taking over as national coach for the 1994 Ashes series. Hanley, who first toured Australia in 1984, made a stunning impact with Balmain after competing in the 1988 Ashes series. He added much-needed pace and flair to the Tigers’ backline and scored tries in each of Balmain's four sudden-death matches when the club made the grand final from equal-fifth place. Unfortunately, he was knocked senseless in a tackle by C’bury’s Terry Lamb and the Tigers lost the match. The following year Hanley signed on as a 'gun for hire' with battlers Wests. The Adidas ‘Golden Boot’ award winner as the best player in the World in 1989, the former Bradford Northern five-eighth joined Wigan on a contract reportedly worth £150,000. Hanley returned to Australia in 1992 as captain of the Lions but played less than 15 minutes of football in a minor tour match against Newcastle. He took over as captain-coach of Leeds but was the surprise choice as successor to Mal Reilly as coach of Great Britain in the 1994 Ashes series. Hanley's charges pulled off a stunning 8-4 win at Wembley in the First Test but despite persistent rumours of a comeback as a player in the deciding Third Test, he watched from the sidelines as Great Britain lost the match 23-4, and the Ashes series. Although well past his prime, Hanley signed with the ARL in 1996 and played two final seasons with the Tigers. Returning to England as coach of St Helens, he continued his stand-off with the press and was released by the club in 2000.
- ALAN WHITICKER
Playing Career Statistics
All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
Competitions | ||||||||||||||
Competition | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yorkshire Cup | 11 | 8 | 5 | - | 41 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 63.64% | List | ||||
English Championship | 307 | 281 | 79 | 5 | 1267 | 209 | 80 | 18 | 68.08% | List | ||||
Regal Trophy | 38 | 30 | 3 | - | 125 | 29 | 7 | 2 | 76.32% | List | ||||
Challenge Cup | 47 | 42 | 4 | - | 173 | 38 | 8 | 1 | 80.85% | List | ||||
Premiership Trophy | 14 | 7 | - | - | 28 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 35.71% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Great Britain | 24 | 8 | - | - | 32 | 9 | 14 | 1 | 37.50% | List | |||
The Ashes | 10 | 2 | - | - | 16 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 20.00% | List | ||||
Test Series | 16 | 5 | - | - | 12 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 18.75% | List | ||||
Lancashire Cup | 14 | 16 | - | - | 64 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Wigan Warriors | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
World Cup | 10 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 50.00% | List | ||||
World Club Challenge | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
NSWRL/ARL Premiership (NRL) | 47 | 12 | - | 1 | 49 | 24 | 22 | 1 | 51.06% | List | ||||
NSWRL/ARL Finals | 4 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
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Test Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Great Britain | 1984-93 | 36 | 20 | - | - | 80 | 19 | 15 | 2 | 52.78% | List | |||
England | 1984, 1992 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Overall | 1984-1993 | 38 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 21 | 15 | 2 | 55.26% | List | |||
International Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Great Britain | 1984-1988 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Rest Of The World | 1988 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
Overall | 1988 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | |||
World Cup Matches - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Great Britain | 1984-1992 | 10 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 50.00% | List | |||
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England - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Europe | 1984 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
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NSWRL/ARL Premiership (NRL) - By Year | ||||||||||||||
Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Balmain | NSWRL 1988 | 8 | 5 | - | - | 20 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 75.00% | List | |||
Western Suburbs | NSWRL 1989 | 13 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 38.46% | List | |||
Sydney Tigers | ARL 1996 | 12 | 2 | - | 1 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 58.33% | List | |||
Balmain | ARL 1997 | 14 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 42.86% | List | |||
NSWRL/ARL Premiership (NRL) - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Balmain | 1988, 1996-97 | 34 | 8 | - | 1 | 33 | 19 | 15 | 0 | 55.88% | List | |||
Western Suburbs | 1989 | 13 | 4 | - | - | 16 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 38.46% | List | |||
Overall | 1988-1997 | 47 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 49 | 24 | 22 | 1 | 51.06% | List | |||
English Career - By Year | ||||||||||||||
Team | Season | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Bradford | 1981/82 | 39 | 15 | 41 | - | 127 | 24 | 13 | 2 | 61.54% | List | |||
Bradford | 1982/83 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 57.89% | List | |||
Bradford | 1983/84 | 22 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 53 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 63.64% | List | |||
Bradford | 1984/85 | 37 | 52 | 36 | - | 280 | 19 | 16 | 2 | 51.35% | List | |||
Wigan | 1985/86 | 39 | 35 | 8 | - | 156 | 30 | 6 | 3 | 76.92% | List | |||
Wigan | 1986/87 | 39 | 59 | 1 | - | 238 | 37 | 2 | 0 | 94.87% | List | |||
Wigan | 1987/88 | 32 | 31 | - | - | 124 | 21 | 9 | 2 | 65.63% | List | |||
Wigan | 1987/88 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | |||
Wigan | 1988/89 | 38 | 25 | - | 1 | 101 | 30 | 7 | 1 | 78.95% | List | |||
Wigan | 1989/90 | 20 | 10 | - | - | 40 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 85.00% | List | |||
Wigan | 1990/91 | 32 | 29 | - | 1 | 117 | 26 | 4 | 2 | 81.25% | List | |||
Leeds | 1991/92 | 19 | 9 | - | - | 36 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 47.37% | List | |||
Leeds | 1992/93 | 31 | 31 | - | - | 124 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 54.84% | List | |||
Leeds | 1993/94 | 30 | 25 | - | 1 | 101 | 19 | 9 | 2 | 63.33% | List | |||
Leeds | 1994/95 | 34 | 41 | 1 | - | 166 | 28 | 5 | 1 | 82.35% | List | |||
English Career - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Bradford | 1981-84 | 117 | 89 | 81 | 2 | 495 | 68 | 41 | 8 | 58.12% | List | |||
Wigan | 1985-90 | 201 | 189 | 9 | 2 | 776 | 162 | 31 | 8 | 80.60% | List | |||
Leeds | 1991-94 | 114 | 106 | 1 | 1 | 427 | 73 | 35 | 6 | 64.04% | List | |||
Overall | 1981-1995 | 432 | 384 | 91 | 5 | 1,698 | 303 | 107 | 22 | 70.14% | List |
Contributions:
Rugby League Tables, Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Alan Katzmann, AJ Lucantonio, Paul Carter, Greg Fiveash, Max Turner, Bill Bates, Tim Costello
Sources:
David Middleton's Rugby League Yearbook (1987-88 to present), Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook (1981-82 to 1999), Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club
Your Say
10/10/2017
I had the honour of playing in the under 13,s and 16,s Leeds city boys and for Corpus Christi and the Leeds and District at under 18 level
One story i tell many times is when after playing for the under 13s me and my late dear old Dad were walking to the bus stop and my Dad turned to me and said"He is very greedy -that coloured lad".He then said"Although every time he gets the ball he scores!"Enough said lol
04/01/2019
Ellery was transferred to Wigan for £85000 plus Steve Dolan
And Phil Ford going to Bradford in part exchange.
03/05/2020
The finest player I ever saw play. Had the honour of watching his every game for a season at Leeds where he was head and shoulders above the rest of the side. Absolute class.
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