Hall has officially hung up his boots at the age of 38
Ryan Hall has hung up his boots(Image: SW Pix)
Former Hull KR and England star Ryan Hall has officially called time on his storied 20-year career as a rugby league player.
There had been suggestions towards the end of the season that Hall was in negotiations to go around again next year with Leeds Rhinos, but the winger has now taken the decision to hang up his boots.
Hall embarked on his journey as a professional player in 2007 at Leeds Rhinos and in the two decades that have followed he has taken in spells with Sydney Roosters and Hull KR.
He’s made a total of 498 club appearances over the course of his career, including 487 in the Northern Hemisphere and he retires having won six Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups, two League Leaders’ Shields and two World Club Challenges.
Hall also won the Lance Todd Trophy in 2014 and he has been named in the Super League Dream Team on four occasions throughout his career.
The winger will be best remembered in the game for his tries, though, and he currently sits second in the Super League list of all-time try scorers with 275 to his name, having fallen behind Josh Charnley this year. He’s scored 358 tries in total with that tally including 39 in the colours of England, which puts him on top of the national team charts as well.
Making his debut against Bradford Bulls in 2007, Hall made nine appearances in his first season with the Rhinos but it wasn’t long before he was a key man for the club and he went on to score 233 tries in 330 appearances before moving on to join Sydney Roosters at the end of the 2018 season.
Injury ensured his start to life down under was disrupted and he struggled to find his groove in the NRL before Hull KR gave him the opportunity to return to Yorkshire.
The 38-year-old spent four seasons in red and white and played a key role in helping transform the club into a contender, with his final game being the 2024 Grand Final defeat to Wigan Warriors.
A return to Leeds beckoned and he brings the curtain down on his career having made 24 appearances and scored 10 tries this season.
“I think the time is right that I hang up my boots. I’ve done it for 20 years and I’ve loved every minute of it,” Hall said in a video released by the Rhinos.
“I think the time is now and the club is in a good position to go with the youth and kick on and go for something new other than myself which is completely fine. That’s the natural progression in rugby league and I’ve always wanted the best for the club at heart and if the decision is to go with the youth at this time then it suits me down to a tee because 20 years of loving every second is enough.
“When you say the numbers, the 540 games, tied 17th on the all-time try scoring list, it’s still going to take some time to digest as to what that means to be alongside the other names as well. Neil Fox is the one I’m now joint with which for me, to have my name alongside his in a list or in the same sentence is pretty cool. The achievement is nice but the journey along up to it has been nicer.
“Representing your country is the pinnacle of what your career should be. You’re playing and representing everyone who’s played rugby in the country or lived in the country. To be at the top of the tree for try scoring for my country, that’s a special one.”
On his next chapter, Hall said: “I’ve done it for more than half my life and I don’t know anything else really, it’s what I’ve learned to do and loved to do. I’m still attached to the club in a commercial role which I love doing, it wasn’t a hard sell to me to do that job because when I got offered to speak to a load of people that I’ve met along the way and friends on a matchday, it’s not really a job.
“Speaking to friends in an official capacity and making sure they continue to enjoy their experience at Headingley. That’s what my next job will be.
Hall also confirmed he had been awarded a three-month testimonial to mark the end of his career.
“I’m really honoured to have been granted a three-month testimonial which starts in December,” he added. “I’ve got a couple of events along the way and we’ll get them released when they happen but it’s really honouring for me to be able to be granted that.
I do have a testimonial game lined up when we’ll be playing Hull FC in January.
“I’m not 100 per cent certain on that date yet. I will feature in that game but it won’t be massive amounts because it’s a stepping stone to get the players ready for round one of Super League.”