IT’S coming towards the end of the year – but Leigh Leopards star Umyla Hanley hopes his is only just beginning.
The centre’s 2026 was a slow starter, making only one appearance before May due to shoulder trouble.
But he made up for lost time with an exceptional run of form that saw him selected in the Super League Dream Team for the second year running.
Hanley next has his eye on success for Leigh, who begin their play-off campaign with Friday’s eliminator away at Wakefield Trinity.
The Leopards are hoping to surpass their semi-final exits of the past two years and make it to Old Trafford for the first time.
Although a fifth-placed finish gives them a tricky route, they’d won nine of eleven before last Friday’s 19-8 defeat to familiar foes Wakefield.
“This is the business end of the season now so you want to start playing well,” said Hanley.
“That’s what we’ve done and hopefully we can continue to do that on Friday.
“We expect it to be a different game last week. We’ll take that loss and use it as fuel on the fire.
“It’s possible for us to go one step further and make it to the Grand Final.
“We’ve added to our team and I think we’ve got a better team this time around.”
Hanley’s form not only got him into the Dream Team, but earned a call-up to Brian McDermott’s England programme ahead of the World Cup.
The uncapped 24-year-old is among a 40-strong group which will be trimmed to just 24 by the time England fly to Australia next month and he has a burning ambition to be there.
He added: “I spoke to Brian a bit and his main thing is to see how people perform in these play-off games, when it really matters, because if you get picked and go over (to the World Cup), it’s the highest level there is.”