Zak Hardaker
Encyclopedia
Zak Hardaker
is a rugby league player who currently plays for the Leeds Rhinos
in the Super League
. He can play on the wing, Full back, stand-off and has most recently started playing in the centres. He previously played for Featherstone Rovers
in the Co-operative Championship, before joining Leeds Rhinos
at the end of the 2010 season.
from local amateur side Featherstone Lions
after leaving school at Carlton High in Pontefract, after previously playing for his home town club Knottingley Rockware before signing pro terms with Featherstone Rovers from junior club Featherstone Lions
.
He scored a hat-trick of tries on his 2010 debut for Rovers
against Hunslet Hawks
& went on to score 22 tries in 14 games in all competitions in his debut season. This included two tries in Rovers
extra-time 23-22 Co-operative Grand Final defeat to Halifax
.
He was named joint Co-operative Championship Young Player of the Year, along with Batley Bulldogs
' Gareth Moore
.
in October 2010 for a transfer fee of around £60,000. He trained with the Rhinos
senior squad during pre-season & made two appearances in pre-season friendlies, before returning to Rovers
for the 2011 season.
In March 2011, due to injuries to Rhinos
wingers Ben Jones-Bishop
& Lee Smith
, Hardaker was called back to the club & made his Super League
debut against St Helens at Headingley
. Hardaker scored a try in the 30-16 defeat. He scored a hat trick and picked up the man of the match award (playing in the centres) for Leeds Rhinos
in the play off match against Huddersfield Giants
helping Leeds to a 34-28 victory. He also scored the final try in the 2011 Engage Super League Grand Final as Leeds defeated St Helens RLFC 32-16 at Old Trafford
, Manchester.
is a rugby league player who currently plays 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 the 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 can play on the wing, Full back, stand-off and has most recently started playing in the centres. He previously played for Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...
in the Co-operative Championship, before joining 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...
at the end of the 2010 season.
Featherstone Rovers
Hardaker joined Featherstone RoversFeatherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...
from local amateur side Featherstone Lions
Featherstone Lions
Featherstone Lions are an amateur rugby league club from Featherstone, West Yorkshire who play in the Rugby League Conference National Division and the CMS Yorkshire league Division 3. The under-18 team play in the Gilette National Youth League....
after leaving school at Carlton High in Pontefract, after previously playing for his home town club Knottingley Rockware before signing pro terms with Featherstone Rovers from junior club Featherstone Lions
Featherstone Lions
Featherstone Lions are an amateur rugby league club from Featherstone, West Yorkshire who play in the Rugby League Conference National Division and the CMS Yorkshire league Division 3. The under-18 team play in the Gilette National Youth League....
.
He scored a hat-trick of tries on his 2010 debut for Rovers
Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...
against Hunslet Hawks
Hunslet Hawks
Hunslet Hawks is a professional rugby league club based in Hunslet, West Yorkshire, England. The club, sometimes known as 'the Parksiders' after their former stadium, are currently champions of Championship One.-History:-Early years:...
& went on to score 22 tries in 14 games in all competitions in his debut season. This included two tries in Rovers
Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...
extra-time 23-22 Co-operative Grand Final defeat to Halifax
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...
.
He was named joint Co-operative Championship Young Player of the Year, along with Batley Bulldogs
Batley Bulldogs
Batley Bulldogs are an English professional rugby league club from Batley, West Yorkshire. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Batley is one of the original twenty-two rugby football clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895...
' Gareth Moore
Gareth Moore
Gareth Moore is a Scottish rugby league player for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in the Engage Super League. He plays as a scrum-half. He is a current Scotland international.-External links:*...
.
Leeds Rhinos
Hardaker 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...
in October 2010 for a transfer fee of around £60,000. He trained with 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...
senior squad during pre-season & made two appearances in pre-season friendlies, before returning to Rovers
Featherstone Rovers
Featherstone Rovers are a semi-professional rugby league club, based in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the Championship. The Rovers are one of the last vestiges of "small town teams" that were once common in rugby league during the early twentieth century...
for the 2011 season.
In March 2011, due to injuries to 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...
wingers Ben Jones-Bishop
Ben Jones-Bishop
Ben Jones-Bishop is an English professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. His usual position is at Full-Back, but he can also play on the Wing.-Playing career:...
& Lee Smith
Lee Smith (rugby league)
Lee Smith is an English rugby league player who is currently in his second stint playing for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. He had a brief spell in rugby union with the London Wasps in the Guinness Premiership.-Early career:...
, Hardaker was called back to the club & made his 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...
debut against St Helens 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 ....
. Hardaker scored a try in the 30-16 defeat. He scored a hat trick and picked up the man of the match award (playing in the centres) for 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 the play off match against 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....
helping Leeds to a 34-28 victory. He also scored the final try in the 2011 Engage Super League Grand Final as Leeds defeated St Helens RLFC 32-16 at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, Manchester.