“Not where I left them” – Ryan Hall striving to restore pride at Leeds Rhinos

Last week the news of Ryan Hall and his return to Headingley was confirmed with the initial reaction of many fans being shock and confusion.

Hall will turn 37 in November meaning that his second stint with Leeds Rhinos will begin almost 18 years after his debut at Magic Weekend in 2007.

The veteran winger played 330 games in Blue and Amber before making his switch to the NRL but he’s set for one final dance after last week’s confirmation that he will re-sign with the Rhinos for the 2025 season.

There were suggestions that the move marked more of a ‘fairy-tale’ signing as opposed to one with true on-field intent to help the Rhinos lift silverware for the first time since 2020, something that Hall himself refuted at the time.

Speaking live post-game on Sky Sports last night, that’s something that the 36-year-old has once again made clear.

Hall hoping to push Leeds Rhinos back towards success

After his injury-riddled spell in Australia in which he was scoreless in 11 appearances, Ryan Hall made his return to Super League with Hull KR in 2021.

Since then he’s notched 53 tries in 86 for the Robins, edging him ever closer to the all-time record that is currently held by former Leeds Rhinos’ teammate Danny Maguire.

Asked about the decision to return to Headingley, Hall initially batted back the question, instead focusing on his current club for whom he scored in KR’s 26-10 win over Wigan.

He stated: “It took me a few weeks to decide. I mean, I love playing for Hull KR right now and I love the team I’m playing in right now.

“All that is next year. I know you’re asking about the decision and stuff, but that’s next year, very much next year. We’ve got a lot to do this year and I’m focused on that.”

Pushed further on the move back to Headingley, Hall affirmed that the return was motivated by a desire to help restore the club to the heights they hit during his twelve-year stay at Headingley.

During that time Hall lifted six Super League titles, two Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges, whilst since the club have lifted just one Challenge Cup in five seasons.

Hall explained: “A lot of my friends are still at Leeds, more around the place and not so much on the field because it’s a new-look team, but a lot of people around the back room are very much the same.

“I’m still socialising with them people and it’s nice to finish off with people in that style. But like I said in the press, I’m not just going there to stand and wave at the fans and copy along, I’ve got a job to do.

“They’re probably not where they were when I left them. I’d like to get some work done on trying to push them up the hill.”

When will Ryan Hall break the Super League try-scoring record?

Last night’s try took Hall to 245 Super League tries, just two behind current leader Danny Maguire, meaning that when he returns to Headingley he will likely already have the record.

What has been so impressive about Ryan Hall is that the tries have continued at a consistent and impressive rate well into his 30s.

Since his Super League return for the 2021 season, Hall has registered 47 tries in his three and a bit seasons, tallying 15, 14 and 13 in the previous three campaigns whilst he sits on five so far this year.

Last night’s score was another physical try with Hall using his frame to barge over against the smaller Abbas Miski and he’s revealed how that technique has proved so successful for him during his career.

“There’s two styles of finishing in the corner,” he noted.

“Some people like to do the full jump out of the field of play and use their right hand, when they’re playing on the left wing, to score.

“What I like to do is preserve the space, so I’ll go into the man, knowing that the space is still on the outside. Rather than running towards the corner, I’m running towards Abbas Miski which means that he can’t fill up that space, so I’ve still got the space to put it down in the corner.”

The art of using force as a winger is a dying one with plenty of Super League’s elite wingers now opting for the acrobatic effort, but Hall explained that current Hull FC interim assistant coach Francis Cummings is the man to thank for his dominant technique.

“Other players might dive out of the field of play and extend inwards, I like to do it that way. Francis Cummings taught me that about preserving the space.

“That’s what I was first taught and it’s a technique that I’ll stick with, it’s worked out alright so far I think so I’ll keep going.”

Hall’s next opportunity to break the all-time try-scoring record will come against St Helens next week with broadcast details of that game and all other rugby league games on TV available here.