Leeds Rhinos are mourning a key figure in one of the club’s greatest teams, who also played in Australia for Parramatta and had a spell as coach at Halifax.
Derek Hallas, who was in his 90s, scored two tries when Leeds beat Warrington in the 1961 Championship final to be crowned rugby league champions for the first time.
In total, he touched down 60 times – and kicked 18 goals – in 135 games for Leeds from 1959-62.
The historic 1960-61 season, when Leeds finally secured the Championship trophy after 70 years of trying, was also Hallas’ finest for the club.
He touched down 21 times in 41 games as part of a lethal combination with South African winger Wilf Rosenberg, who scored a post-war record 44 tries.
Between them, Leeds’ right-side three-quarters totalled more than a third of the team’s tries that season.
Hallas later spent five seasons as a player in Australia with Parramatta. Back in England, he had a season as coach of Halifax and returned to Leeds as a scout and then secretary of the club’s past players’ association.
A centre, he played for Roundhay Rugby Union club before switching codes and had two spells with Keighley either side of his time at Leeds.
Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington visited Hallas last week and described the news as “very sad”.
Until being taken ill he regularly attended home games and took part in tributes to 1961 teammate Lewis Jones following his death in March last year.
It is with much sadness that the club learned today of the passing of 1961 Championship winner Derek Hallas, who passed away yesterday, peacefully after a period of ill health. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time
More here https://t.co/xL3wXIHuFj pic.twitter.com/ckqeXSJCS0— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) May 13, 2025
Super League Disciplinary News
Every Super League player’s disciplinary record after latest charges
Huddersfield Giants
Leeds Rhinos outcast signs for Super League rivals amid hooker contract boost
