Keith Senior
Encyclopedia
Keith Senior is an English
professional rugby league
or who most recently played for the Leeds Rhinos
in Super League
. He has won every honour in the English domestic game. He holds the record for the most Super League
appearances (368) & the most Super League
tries (185). He has represented both Great Britain
& England
at International level and has been named in the 'Rugby League World XIII' on three occasions.
. He was signed from Huddersfield YMCA rugby union
team by Gary Hetherington in 1995. Senior played in the very first Super League
match in 1996, a 30-24 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Senior made his Great Britain
debut in 1996, scoring a try after coming off the bench in the 72-4 win over Fiji
. He was also his club's top try scorer with 17 tries that season. He bettered that tally in 1998, when he scored 19 tries as the Eagles
shocked the rugby league world, beating the Wigan Warriors
17-8 in the Challenge Cup
final at the old Wembley Stadium. He also made his first start for Great Britain in 1998, against New Zealand
.
Senior made 139 appearances for the Eagles
and scored 55 tries during his five seasons at the club. Notably, two of those tries came against his future employer, the Leeds Rhinos
.
on the final day of the 1999 Super League regular season. He made his debut for the club on the same day, against the London Broncos. After a quiet start to his Rhinos
career, Senior burst into life in 2000 finishing the season as joint top try scorer with 18, including four in a single match against the then Halifax Blue Sox
.
Senior represented England
at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
.
Senior also represented Yorkshire in the now defunct 'War of the Roses' Origin Series, against cross-Pennine rivals Lancashire. Senior played in three consecutive defeats in 2001 and 2002, twice at Headingley
, scoring two tries. In 2003 Yorkshire beat Lancashire. Senior scored two tries in the 56-6 victory at Odsal Stadium
.
In 2003 Senior was named the Leeds Rhinos Players' Player of the Year.
In 2004 Senior made 30 appearances and scored 13 tries as the Rhinos
ended their 32-year wait for the Championship, beating the Bradford Bulls
16-8 in the Grand Final
.
By this time Senior held the record of playing the most Super League rounds of any player, with 223 out of a possible 237.
In 2005 Senior became only the 20th player in the club's history to score 100 tries in his career.
In January 2007 Senior celebrated his Testimonial match for the Rhinos with a 50-0 thrashing of his home town club, the Huddersfield Giants
. Senior scored a late try in the match.
Also in 2007 Senior played in all three Test matches during the 3-0 series whitewash over New Zealand
. The third and final Test of the series was the last time Great Britain
would play as a team.
Senior was an integral part of the Rhinos
squad that won the Super League Grand Final
for three consecutive seasons in 2007
, 2008
and 2009
, all against St Helens.
Senior traveled to Australia to represent England in the 2008 World Cup
.
During the 2009 season, Senior became the first player to reach 500 Super League
appearances. He also announced his retirement from representative rugby in 2009.
At the end of the 2010 season Senior was named in the Super League Dream Team
for the fifth time in his career.
his last season for the Leeds Rhinos.
However on 26 July 2011 the Crusaders withdrew from the Super League leaving Senior in limbo.
asked local members of the public to nominate the thirteen best ever rugby league players to have played in West Yorkshire as the 'Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team'.
Senior made the final thirteen, along with rugby league greats Trevor Foster
MBE
, Neil Fox
MBE
, Albert Goldthorpe
, Alan Hardisty
, Lewis Jones, Stan Kielty
, Roger Millward
MBE
, Malcolm Reilly
, Garry Schofield
, David Topliss
, Dave Valentine
, and Adrian Vowles
.
A ceremony was held in August 2009 at The Jungle
, the home of the Castleford Tigers
. A fleet of new buses were named after all the players.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
or who most recently played for the Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
in Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. He has won every honour in the English domestic game. He holds the record for the most Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
appearances (368) & the most Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
tries (185). He has represented both Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
& England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
at International level and has been named in the 'Rugby League World XIII' on three occasions.
Sheffield Eagles
Senior began his career at the Sheffield EaglesSheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
. He was signed from Huddersfield YMCA rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team by Gary Hetherington in 1995. Senior played in the very first Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
match in 1996, a 30-24 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Senior made his Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
debut in 1996, scoring a try after coming off the bench in the 72-4 win over Fiji
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
. He was also his club's top try scorer with 17 tries that season. He bettered that tally in 1998, when he scored 19 tries as the Eagles
Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
shocked the rugby league world, beating the Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
17-8 in the Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
final at the old Wembley Stadium. He also made his first start for Great Britain in 1998, against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
.
Senior made 139 appearances for the Eagles
Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
and scored 55 tries during his five seasons at the club. Notably, two of those tries came against his future employer, the Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
.
Leeds Rhinos
Senior signed for the RhinosLeeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
on the final day of the 1999 Super League regular season. He made his debut for the club on the same day, against the London Broncos. After a quiet start to his Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
career, Senior burst into life in 2000 finishing the season as joint top try scorer with 18, including four in a single match against the then Halifax Blue Sox
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
.
Senior represented England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
.
Senior also represented Yorkshire in the now defunct 'War of the Roses' Origin Series, against cross-Pennine rivals Lancashire. Senior played in three consecutive defeats in 2001 and 2002, twice at Headingley
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
, scoring two tries. In 2003 Yorkshire beat Lancashire. Senior scored two tries in the 56-6 victory at Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
.
In 2003 Senior was named the Leeds Rhinos Players' Player of the Year.
In 2004 Senior made 30 appearances and scored 13 tries as the Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
ended their 32-year wait for the Championship, beating the Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
16-8 in the Grand Final
2004 Super League Grand Final
The 2004 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 16 October 2004, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The game was played between Leeds Rhinos, who finished top of the league after the 28 weekly rounds, and Bradford Bulls, who finished second after the weekly rounds.-Route to final:Regular...
.
By this time Senior held the record of playing the most Super League rounds of any player, with 223 out of a possible 237.
In 2005 Senior became only the 20th player in the club's history to score 100 tries in his career.
In January 2007 Senior celebrated his Testimonial match for the Rhinos with a 50-0 thrashing of his home town club, the Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
. Senior scored a late try in the match.
Also in 2007 Senior played in all three Test matches during the 3-0 series whitewash over New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. The third and final Test of the series was the last time Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
would play as a team.
Senior was an integral part of the Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
squad that won the Super League Grand Final
Super League Grand Final
The Super League Grand Final is the championship-deciding game of the Super League rugby league football competition...
for three consecutive seasons in 2007
2007 Super League Grand Final
The 2007 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 13 October 2007, at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. The game was played between St Helens, who finished top of the league after the 27 weekly rounds, and Leeds Rhinos, who finished second after the weekly rounds.-Route to final:Regular...
, 2008
2008 Super League Grand Final
The 2008 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 4 October 2008, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The match was between Super League XIII League Leaders St Helens and defending champions from 2007 Leeds Rhinos.-Route to final:...
and 2009
2009 Super League Grand Final
The 2009 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 10 October 2009, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The match was contested by defending champions and 2009 League Leaders Leeds Rhinos, and the team they had faced in the grand final for the past two years, St Helens.The 2009 decider, contested...
, all against St Helens.
Senior traveled to Australia to represent England in the 2008 World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
.
During the 2009 season, Senior became the first player to reach 500 Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
appearances. He also announced his retirement from representative rugby in 2009.
At the end of the 2010 season Senior was named in the Super League Dream Team
Super League Dream Team
The Super League Dream Team is an award given each season to the players deemed to have been the best in their position in the Super League by a panel of journalists and broadcasters....
for the fifth time in his career.
Crusaders
On 7 July 2011 it was announced Senior was to join the Crusaders on a 2 year deal from 2012 making Super League XVISuper League XVI
The 2011 Super League season was the sixteenth season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996...
his last season for the Leeds Rhinos.
However on 26 July 2011 the Crusaders withdrew from the Super League leaving Senior in limbo.
Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team
In 2009 Arriva YorkshireArriva Yorkshire
Arriva Yorkshire is a division of Arriva which operates bus services around West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and the southern areas of North Yorkshire in England.-History:Arriva Yorkshire was formed as a combination of mergers of previous...
asked local members of the public to nominate the thirteen best ever rugby league players to have played in West Yorkshire as the 'Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team'.
Senior made the final thirteen, along with rugby league greats Trevor Foster
Trevor Foster
Trevor J. F. Foster MBE , was a Welsh rugby footballer and coach. He played rugby union for Newport and rugby league for Bradford Northern...
MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, Neil Fox
Neil Fox (rugby league)
Neil Fox MBE is an English former rugby league footballer and player-coach of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. A goal-kicking , he is one of the most prominent figures in the history of the sport because he holds the all-time points record, scoring 6,220 points during his career...
MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, Albert Goldthorpe
Albert Goldthorpe
Albert Goldthorpe was an English rugby footballer from the period around 1895's schism in English rugby, which led to the formation of rugby league football around the turn of the century.One of five brothers , Goldthorpe made his first...
, Alan Hardisty
Alan Hardisty
Alan 'Chuck' Hardisty is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s, '60s and '70s and coach of the 1970s, who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and Yorkshire, and at club level for Castleford, and Leeds, playing at , i.e...
, Lewis Jones, Stan Kielty
Stan Kielty
Stan Kielty was an English rugby league footballer. A member of the Halifax Hall of Fame, Stan began his professional career at Wakefield Trinity before signing for Halifax in 1946. He later went on to represent Yorkshire and England, playing at , i.e...
, Roger Millward
Roger Millward
Roger Millward MBE is an English former rugby league footballer and coach of the mid to late 20th century. A goal-kicking , he gained a high level of prominence in the sport in England by playing for Hull KR and Castleford, as well as representing Great Britain...
MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, Malcolm Reilly
Mal Reilly
Malcolm J. Reilly is an English former rugby league footballer and coach. A Great Britain international representative , Reilly played club football for Castleford Tigers in England and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in Australia...
, Garry Schofield
Garry Schofield
Garry E. Schofield OBE is an English retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 1990s. At the time of his retirement he was the most-capped Great Britain player of all time along with Mick Sullivan, with 46 appearances. He also won three England caps, making him the highest...
, David Topliss
David Topliss
David Topliss was an English Rugby League World Cup winning footballer and coach. He played and coached with Wakefield Trinity in the late 1970s and early 1980s....
, Dave Valentine
Dave Valentine
David Donald Valentine was a Scottish representative rugby union and Rugby League World Cup winning footballer, a dual-code rugby international of the 1940s and '50s.-Rugby union:...
, and Adrian Vowles
Adrian Vowles
Adrian Vowles is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played in Australia for several years, gaining State of Origin selection in 1994, but spent the majority of his career in the European Super League...
.
A ceremony was held in August 2009 at The Jungle
The Jungle (Wheldon Road)
The Jungle is the former name of Wheldon Road, a stadium in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England. This is the home of the Castleford Tigers rugby league team....
, the home of the Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
. A fleet of new buses were named after all the players.