Paul Reilly
Encyclopedia
Paul Reilly is a rugby league
player who played for the Huddersfield Giants
for 11 years until signing for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
for the 2008 season. He plays in the full back position.
Paul was not interested in rugby league as a child and only watched a few Huddersfield matches until a friend at school encouraged him to play for a local amateur side. Paul started playing for Moldgreen Under-14s and discovered a real talent for the game.
He was playing well at Moldgreen and as a result he attended trials at Halifax RLFC
. They offered him a contract for the following season, but as the 1996 season was only half way through Paul found himself back at his hometown club where he turned up for training to keep himself fit. After four or five weeks the then coach of Huddersfield Giants
, Darryl van der Velde
had seen enough and offered him a deal.
Reilly established himself as the first choice full-back at Huddersfield, and he was a stand-out player in both the successful 2002 NFP campaign and then later in the Super League, where his passionate, whole-hearted performances were a key factor in the Giants establishing themselves as a competitive club.
He played twice for England in the 2004 European Nations Cup, including a man-of-the-match performance in the final against Ireland, in which he scored two tries in the first seventeen minutes.
He featured for his home town team in the 2006 Challenge Cup Final, where he performed a memorable try-saving tackle on Ade Gardner
to keep his side in the game in the first half.
Towards the end of 2006 Paul released a testimonial booklet entitled "The Life of Reilly" which celebrated his 10 years with the Giants and featured contributions from many past players and coaching staff. Paul had a joint testimonial match with Keith Senior
of the Leeds Rhinos
on 26 January 2007. The game was played at Headingley
.
Paul announced at the start of the 2007 season that he had signed a one-year extension to his contract and intended to retire at the end of the season after 11 years with his hometown club. He scored 8 tries in the season and helped to steer the Giants to a memorable 5th placed finish in Super League. It was announced in August 2007 that the Giants would not be renewing Reilly's contract, respecting his wish to retire, and he was proudly carried off the field by team-mates following the club's 22-16 play-off defeat to Hull at the end of the year.
Despite intending to retire, Reilly was offered a lucrative contract by Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
in September 2007 and signed for the club. However, after only four appearances it was revealed that he had sustained a serious neck injury and it is unlikely he will play again.
He overcame this injury and now plays for Oldham Roughyeds in the Co-operative Championship 1.
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...
player who played for 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....
for 11 years until signing for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
for the 2008 season. He plays in the full back position.
Paul was not interested in rugby league as a child and only watched a few Huddersfield matches until a friend at school encouraged him to play for a local amateur side. Paul started playing for Moldgreen Under-14s and discovered a real talent for the game.
He was playing well at Moldgreen and as a result he attended trials at Halifax RLFC
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...
. They offered him a contract for the following season, but as the 1996 season was only half way through Paul found himself back at his hometown club where he turned up for training to keep himself fit. After four or five weeks the then coach of 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....
, Darryl van der Velde
Darryl van der Velde
Darryl van der Velde is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer, coach and administrator. He played club football in Queensland for Souths and represented his state on one occasion in 1977. After playing he coached the Brisbane Rugby League premiership's Redcliffe side in 1986...
had seen enough and offered him a deal.
Reilly established himself as the first choice full-back at Huddersfield, and he was a stand-out player in both the successful 2002 NFP campaign and then later in the Super League, where his passionate, whole-hearted performances were a key factor in the Giants establishing themselves as a competitive club.
He played twice for England in the 2004 European Nations Cup, including a man-of-the-match performance in the final against Ireland, in which he scored two tries in the first seventeen minutes.
He featured for his home town team in the 2006 Challenge Cup Final, where he performed a memorable try-saving tackle on Ade Gardner
Ade Gardner
Adrian Antonio Gardner is an English professional rugby league footballer for St. Helens of Super League. A Great Britain representative winger, he previously played for Barrow Raiders. He is the older brother of Ex-Salford City Reds winger, Mat Gardner.Gardner went to St Columba's Roman...
to keep his side in the game in the first half.
Towards the end of 2006 Paul released a testimonial booklet entitled "The Life of Reilly" which celebrated his 10 years with the Giants and featured contributions from many past players and coaching staff. Paul had a joint testimonial match with 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...
of 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...
on 26 January 2007. The game was played at Headingley
Headingley
Headingley is a suburb of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. It is approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road...
.
Paul announced at the start of the 2007 season that he had signed a one-year extension to his contract and intended to retire at the end of the season after 11 years with his hometown club. He scored 8 tries in the season and helped to steer the Giants to a memorable 5th placed finish in Super League. It was announced in August 2007 that the Giants would not be renewing Reilly's contract, respecting his wish to retire, and he was proudly carried off the field by team-mates following the club's 22-16 play-off defeat to Hull at the end of the year.
Despite intending to retire, Reilly was offered a lucrative contract by Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
in September 2007 and signed for the club. However, after only four appearances it was revealed that he had sustained a serious neck injury and it is unlikely he will play again.
He overcame this injury and now plays for Oldham Roughyeds in the Co-operative Championship 1.