Mal Reilly
Encyclopedia
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. Post-playing, Reilly coached the Great Britain and also worked in Australia, taking the Newcastle Knights
to their first premiership in 1997.
in Castleford
’s 11–6 victory over Salford
in the 1969 Challenge Cup
final at Wembley Stadium on 17 May 1969. After the 1969 Rugby League Challenge Cup
final he was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy
for his man-of-the-match performance. The following year he played in the 7–2 victory over Wigan
in the 1970 Challenge Cup
final at Wembley Stadium on 9 May 1970. He later became a Tigers
Hall Of Fame Inductee. That year he also helped Great Britain to victory in the 1970 World Cup
.
Reilly later played in Australia, helping the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
to their first premiership in 1972 and to their second the following year. He thus became only the third ever Englishman to play in a grand final-winning team in Australia.
and Great Britain
. He opened his reign as head coach of Great Britain with six wins, four against France and two over Papua New Guinea, in 1987. He stood down as Great Britain's coach in 1994. Reilly then took over Australian side Newcastle Knights
in 1995 as coach and their results improved markedly. He later coached them to their 1997 ARL Grand Final success.
In 2001 Reilly's book, Reilly: A Life in Rugby League was published. His coaching career continued but he had less success as head coach of the Huddersfield Giants
, who finished bottom of Super League
under his stewardship. He left Leeds
at the end of the 2003 season following a major coaching re-structuring. In December 2004, Hull Kingston Rovers
appointed Mal Reilly as director of rugby and first team coach. However, Reilly left the club mid way through the season.
area.
honoured 13 rugby league footballers on Thursday 20 August 2009, at a ceremony at The Jungle
, the home of the Castleford Tigers
. A fleet of new buses were named after the 'Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team'. Members of the public nominated the best ever rugby league footballers to have played in West Yorkshire, supported by local rugby league journalists; James Deighton from BBC Leeds, and Tim Butcher, editor of Rugby League World
. The 'Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team' is; Trevor Foster
MBE
, Neil Fox
MBE
, Albert Goldthorpe
, Alan Hardisty
, Stan Kielty
, Lewis Jones, Roger Millward
MBE
, Malcolm Reilly, Garry Schofield
, Keith Senior
, David Topliss
, Dave Valentine
, and Adrian Vowles
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former 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...
footballer
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
and coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
. A Great Britain international representative , Reilly played club football for 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'...
in England and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
in Australia. Post-playing, Reilly coached the Great Britain and also worked in Australia, taking the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
to their first premiership in 1997.
Playing career
Mal Reilly played /, i.e. number 13, and won the Lance Todd TrophyLance Todd Trophy
The Lance Todd Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in rugby league football's Challenge Cup Final.The trophy was introduced in 1946, in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War...
in Castleford
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'...
’s 11–6 victory over Salford
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
in the 1969 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 Wembley Stadium on 17 May 1969. After the 1969 Rugby League 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 he was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy
Lance Todd Trophy
The Lance Todd Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in rugby league football's Challenge Cup Final.The trophy was introduced in 1946, in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War...
for his man-of-the-match performance. The following year he played in the 7–2 victory over Wigan
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....
in the 1970 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 Wembley Stadium on 9 May 1970. He later became a 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'...
Hall Of Fame Inductee. That year he also helped Great Britain to victory in the 1970 World Cup
1970 Rugby League World Cup
The fifth Rugby League World Cup was held in Great Britain in 1970. Britain, fresh from defeating Australia in the Ashes, were hot favourites, and won all three of their group stage games. All the other nations lost two games each, and Australia qualified for the final largely on the back of an...
.
Reilly later played in Australia, helping the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
to their first premiership in 1972 and to their second the following year. He thus became only the third ever Englishman to play in a grand final-winning team in Australia.
Coaching career
After retiring from playing, Reilly went on to coach HalifaxHalifax 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...
and 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"....
. He opened his reign as head coach of Great Britain with six wins, four against France and two over Papua New Guinea, in 1987. He stood down as Great Britain's coach in 1994. Reilly then took over Australian side Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
in 1995 as coach and their results improved markedly. He later coached them to their 1997 ARL Grand Final success.
In 2001 Reilly's book, Reilly: A Life in Rugby League was published. His coaching career continued but he had less success as head coach of 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....
, who finished bottom of 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...
under his stewardship. He left Leeds
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...
at the end of the 2003 season following a major coaching re-structuring. In December 2004, Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
appointed Mal Reilly as director of rugby and first team coach. However, Reilly left the club mid way through the season.
Outside of rugby league
Reilly now works as a sales representative in the Newcastle, New South WalesNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
area.
Honoured by Arriva Yorkshire
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...
honoured 13 rugby league footballers on Thursday 20 August 2009, at a ceremony 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 the 'Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team'. Members of the public nominated the best ever rugby league footballers to have played in West Yorkshire, supported by local rugby league journalists; James Deighton from BBC Leeds, and Tim Butcher, editor of Rugby League World
Rugby League World
Rugby League World is a dedicated rugby league magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom. Other rugby league titles published by League Publications Ltd include the weekly newspaper Rugby Leaguer & League Express and the annual Gillette Rugby League Yearbook.-History:Rugby League World began...
. The 'Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team' is; 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...
, 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...
, Lewis Jones, 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, 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...
, Keith Senior
Keith Senior
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 & the most Super League tries...
, 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...
.