It looked as if his rugby league career was going nowhere but Ellery Hanley’s son timed his rise to the top perfectly
Among the unlikeliest visitors to Leigh Leopards’ recent win at Leeds Rhinos was a tortoise. The animal stall was part of a family night at Headingley; presumably unleashing a rhino on the crowded concourse was considered unwise. The Leigh centre Umyla Hanley’s journey to the top has epitomised the tortoise’s approach to life.
While the career trajectory of his opposite number at Headingley, Ash Handley, was hare-like – he made his debut at 18 and was quickly heralded as the club’s next wing wizard – Hanley has taken the slow lane. He made his Super League debut for Wigan six years ago but, after appearing to have made a breakthrough in the 2021 season, was soon farmed off to Newcastle on loan, seemingly doomed to live in the shadows of his father, the hall of famer Ellery Hanley.
Hanley was working on a building site two years ago when his old Wigan boss, Adrian Lam, called and offered him another chance down the road at Leigh. He had bought some work boots and a hi-vis vest for the job, but jumped at the opportunity. Initially Hanley was not an automatic choice, but the turning point came when Lam switched him from wing to centre. He has not moved – or looked – back since. Leigh’s win-loss record with Hanley at centre is 34-14 in Super League. He missed the first nine games of this season with a shoulder injury and Leigh lost five of them. At 24 he is becoming a talisman.
In the surprise win at Leeds earlier this month, Hanley delivered a complete centre’s performance that summed up his season. Despite being one of the smallest players on the field, he scored a fabulous try, created another and made several extraordinary defensive efforts to keep Leeds out. That he was the player forcing Ryan Hall’s toe into touch when he had seemingly brought Leeds level in the dying moments surprised no one in the Leopards camp.
“He’s the ultimate competitor,” says Lam. “Umyla is immense. He’s the ultimate professional. What he is doing now he has earned through hard work. He’s number one. Of all the players I’ve coached in my life, he’s as good as anyone.” Considering Lam has coached John Bateman, Liam Farrell, Morgan Smithies and French, and worked as Australia’s assistant coach, that is some call.
Lam has also impressed the new England coach, Brian McDermott, who added him to his training squad for the World Cup on Friday. Given the competition for places in his position, Hanley still has some way to go to make the tournament. The Sydney Roosters centre Hugo Savala has also been added to the 40-man group, which means there are seven centres – plus five others who have played in the position at the highest level – and the coach is likely to select only four of them in his final 23-man squad.
Despite the competition, Lam is convinced his man should be wearing white in Australia in October, where his father wooed home crowds in spells at Balmain Tigers, Western Suburbs and Sydney Roosters. Umyla is unlikely to match Ellery’s achievements – he played more than 500 games in his 16-year career, including 36 Tests for Great Britain – but he has followed in his father’s footsteps when it comes to being versatile, ticking off four of the six positions Ellery played (full-back, centre, wing and one game on loan for Rochdale at standoff).
Unusually for this generation, the son is much smaller than his father. And that could be a problem. But, despite lacking the reach of players in his position such as Handley and Herbie Farnworth, Umyla can finish opportunities. And, as Lam says, his defence is relentless. Hanley was outjumped by Handley in the dying moments of Leigh’s win at Leeds, but responded by spinning around on landing and driving himself at Hall, as the bullocking veteran plunged over the line, doing just enough to force his toes on to the touchline. The try was disallowed and Leigh went home with the points.
“Ash has been one of the best in Super League – he’s absolutely brilliant,” said Lam. “But Umyla is immense. He’s the ultimate professional. What he is doing now he’s earned through hard work. England selectors need to see that.”
McDermott knows England need more cutting edge than they had in the Ashes if they are going to reach the World Cup final in November. They need tries and that is where Hanley can make a case. He is averaging a try every two games this year in Super League.
Given the multitude of in-form centres available – and the poor form of Jack Welsby and AJ Brimson, the England full-backs in the Ashes – McDermott must be tempted to take the bold gamble of playing his biggest talent out of position: Farnworth is the English player NRL defences fear most and, given how little of the ball he saw in the Ashes, putting him at full-back would ensure he is involved in far more attacking sets. That would free up a centre berth. Hanley will be waiting with fingers crossed, hoping that McDermott calls.
One more thing
London Broncos’ comfortable 58-12 win over Halifax on Sunday secured the club’s first trophy since they lifted the second division title in 1983 after a stormy game against Cardiff. That victory at Stamford Bridge 43 years ago (when they were called Fulham RLFC) guaranteed the club a spot in the top flight, something the Championship Leaders’ Shield – which was presented to the team on Sunday in front of a couple of hundred delirious Broncos fans at Plough Lane – does not. Unless Super League expands to 15 clubs, they may be denied promotion even if they win the Championship title in October as expected, if their IMG grading points are not in the top 14.
The good news for Broncos fans is that most players will stick around even if they have to wait for a chance to play in the top flight. The coach, Jason Demetriou, says the players not already contracted to other clubs will stay if the club are guaranteed a spot in Super League in 2028. “It’s not one shy at the stumps and we’re done,” he says. “We’re in it for the long haul.”
