Ex-Leeds Rhinos forward Brett Delaney reveals his greatest rugby league player of all time

Brett Delaney was at the Leeds Rhinos for nine years – nine years which the Australian labelled as ‘the best’ of his professional life.

After making almost 100 NRL appearances for the Parramatta Eels and Gold Coast Titans, Delaney made the move to West Yorkshire ahead of the 2010 Super League season.

It was a move that was a match made in heaven; over a period of nine years, the 36-year-old made 212 appearances for the Rhinos, scoring 27 tries.

And, now he has had his say on who he believes is the greatest rugby league player of all time.

Delaney tweeted: “Bumped into I personally thing the greatest Rugby League player of all time Ellery Hanley twice this week an what a great man to talk to an share a couple of great conversations. #greatman #thegoat“

Bumped into I personally thing the greatest Rugby League player of all time Ellery Hanley twice this week an what a great man to talk to an share a couple of great conversations. #greatman #thegoat

— BRETT DELANEY (@brettdelaney15) March 5, 2022

Delaney is part of the York City Knights set-up in 2022 after joining James Ford as assistant coach.

And, the former Leeds Rhinos star – who played almost a decade at Headingley – has revealed just how the route into coaching came about.

“I spoke to Kevin Sinfield and told him I wanted to get back into the game somehow so I asked him if I could help out at Leeds,” Delaney told Serious About Rugby League.

“Obviously Mark Butterrill is the head of scholarship down there, I knew him down there from when I was playing.

“I went down there and started with him and Rob Burrow was doing the academy then – I wanted to give back to the club I had great memories at and help the next generation through.

“Mark taught me so much, you quickly find out that coaching is a lot different to playing!

“The time and effort they put into me, anything I was able to ask, and in those three years I was joining in between the academy and scholarship.”