FORMER Warrington Wolves skipper Adrian Morley was among four of the greatest players in rugby league history to receive the highest honour the sport can bestow when they were officially inducted into the men’s Rugby League Hall of Fame last night.
Moz, Andy Farrell OBE, Clive Sullivan MBE and David Watkins MBE are the latest players to be identified as the best of the very best since the sport began in 1895.
The four formally joined the 28 current members in Rugby League’s most exclusive club at an induction ceremony at The Edge Arena in Wigan.
At the same event, the first members were be inducted into the newly-established Women’s Rugby League Hall of Fame – the former Great Britain internationals Brenda Dobek, Lisa McIntosh and Sally Milburn.
Moz was presented with his award by Castleford Tigers, Manly and Great Britain legend Mal Reilly, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Co-presenter and BBC commentator Dave Woods described Moz and Mal as two forwards to give any Aussies the collywobbles.
Moz acknowledged it was the greatest honour of his career, to join greats like Reilly in the Hall of Fame, and he talked about how important it was to him to have his junior coaches from Eccles in the audience, as well as his family – brothers and mum – sadly his dad was not there because of illness.
Morley established a reputation as the consummate professional over his near 20-year career, when he was regarded as a player of fierce commitment who expected the same from those around him.
He became the sport’s most-capped British player with 30 appearances for Great Britain and 23 for England.
Morley was a Challenge Cup winner with Leeds in 1999 before joining Sydney Roosters, with whom he won the 2002 Premiership and 2003 World Club Challenge.
He had a short spell at Bradford in 2005, when he was a Grand Final winner with the Bulls, and a year later he returned to the UK to join Warrington.
As captain of Wolves, Morley led by example as the club enjoyed Challenge Cup final success in 2009, 2010 and 2012, as well as Super League Grand Final appearances in 2012 and 2013.
RL Cares chairman Tim Adams MBE said: “We would like to congratulate the four new inductees on their elevation into the Hall of Fame which is deserved recognition of their immense talent.
“Andy, Adrian, Clive and David created magical memories for millions of sports fans across the world during their illustrious careers and it is right and proper that they have been recognised in this way.”
Players are selected for entry into the Hall of Fame by a panel comprising members from across the sport, including administrators, former international players and historians.
To be considered for elevation into the Hall of Fame, players must have played professional Rugby League for at least 10 years, established a reputation that transcends the era in which they played and have a record of outstanding achievement at the very highest level.
The final eligibility criteria has been changed, with players now required to have been retired for five years since their last appearance (it had previously been 10 years).
The 32 inductees in the men’s RL Hall of Fame as follows, including date inducted and teams played for:
Eric Ashton 2005 - Wigan
Billy Batten 1988 - Hunslet, Hull, Wakefield, Castleford
Brian Bevan 1988 - Warrington, Blackpool
Billy Boston 1988 - Wigan, Blackpool
Douglas Clark 2005 - Huddersfield
Shaun Edwards 2015 - Wigan, Bradford, London
Andy Farrell 2022 - Wigan
Neil Fox 1989 - Wakefield, Bradford, Hull KR, York, Bramley, Huddersfield
Albert Goldthorpe 2015 - Hunslet
Andy Gregory 2018 - Widnes, Warrington, Wigan, Leeds, Salford
Ellery Hanley 2005 - Bradford, Wigan, Leeds
Martin Hodgson 2005 - Swinton
Willie Horne 2014 - Barrow, Oldham
Lewis Jones 2013 - Leeds
Vince Karalius 2000 - St Helens, Widnes
Roger Millward 2000 - Hull KR, Castleford
Adrian Morley 2022 - Leeds, Bradford, Warrington, Salford
Alex Murphy 1988 - St Helens, Leigh, Warrington
Martin Offiah 2013 - Widnes, Wigan, London, Salford
Jonty Parkin 1988 - Wakefield, Hull KR
Gus Risman 1988 - Salford, Workington, Batley
Malcolm Reilly 2014 - Castleford
Albert Rosenfeld 1988 - Huddersfield, Wakefield, Bradford
Garry Schofield 2013 - Hull, Leeds, Huddersfield, Doncaster, Bramley
Clive Sullivan 2022 - Hull KR, Hull, Oldham, Doncaster
Mick Sullivan 2013 - Huddersfield, Wigan, St Helens, York, Dewsbury
Jim Sullivan 1988 - Wigan
Derek Turner 2018 - Hull KR, Oldham, Wakefield
Tom Van Vollenhoven 2000 - St Helens
Harold Wagstaff 1988 - Huddersfield
David Watkins 2022 - Salford, Swinton, Cardiff
John Whiteley 2018 - Hull
Matt Turner looks back in full on Adrian Morley's days with The Wire...
WHEN Adrian Morley arrived at Warrington from Sydney Roosters in 2007, they were signing a man on the fast-track to becoming a legend of rugby league.
Having become the first British player to win an NRL Premiership and a Super League winner’s ring, Morley signed a four-year deal at The Halliwell Jones Stadium and helped bring The Wire’s era of drought to a spectacular end.
Seven years, three Challenge Cup wins and two Grand Final appearances later, Morley left with his status as Wire royalty secured.
Without doubt one of the greatest forwards in the modern Super League era, Morley started out with Leeds Rhinos, making his debut in 1995 and enjoying a stellar campaign.
A Challenge Cup win followed in 1999 before the lure of the NRL proved to be too much and he was snapped up by Sydney Roosters.
He took a while to adjust to a new country before playing a crucial role in the Roosters’ 2002 NRL Premiership win, their first in 27 years.
He returned to England with the Roosters to play the World Club Challenge against Super League champions St Helens the following year and was imperious in the back row, scoring a try in a dominant win for the Australian side.
Morley was on top of the world.
He enjoyed another stand-out year, reaching the NRL Grand Final again before losing out to the Penrith Panthers before the undoubted low-point of his career during the 2003 close-season.
After being selected to represent Great Britain in the Ashes series against the touring Australian side, Morley flattened Robbie Kearns with a swinging arm in the opening Test, leaving referee Steve Ganson with no choice but to send Morley off just 12 seconds into the game, the fastest ever rugby league sending off.
He bounced back by reaching another NRL Grand Final the following year before joining Bradford Bulls on a short-term deal at the back end of the 2005 season, helping them to a Grand Final win over Leeds and becoming the first Englishman to complete the rugby league “trifecta” of wins in the NRL Premiership, Super League and Challenge Cup.
His final season in Sydney ended in controversy as a knee to the head of Canterbury Bulldogs player Corey Hughes led to a seven-match suspension and he was released from his contract.
Enter The Wire, who were more than happy to offer Morley a route back into Super League, although his debut did not exactly go to plan.
He collided with Wigan prop Eamonn O’Carroll 37 minutes into his first game, meaning he needed surgery on a fractured eye socket that sidelined him for around a month.
Morley made his comeback and home debut against Hull Kingston Rovers but he was forced off the field early again with a fractured left cheekbone.
He was appointed Wolves captain for the next season, which was when his impact really started to grow.
After James Lowes had replaced Paul Cullen in mid-season, Morley led Wolves to a play-offs finish after they had missed out in the previous season.
They lost out to Catalans Dragons and Lowes was removed after losing the first three games of the 2009 season, meaning Morley was to be reunited with his old coach at international level, Tony Smith.
Together, they led the club through a golden era.
While they may have finished the league campaign in a disappointing 10th position, Morley was imperious in leading the side to Challenge Cup glory, winning the Wembley showpiece 25-16 against Huddersfield to become the first Wire skipper to lift major silverware in 35 years.
Twice more he climbed the Wembley stairs to pick up the Challenge Cup as well as leading Wolves in the 2012 and 2013 Grand Finals.
Both games ended in heartbreak, but his stellar career on both sides of the globe means he will certainly go down in folklore as a true rugby league icon.
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