RYAN HALL may have broken a major Super League record last season, but it’s not an accolade he is expecting to keep hold of for too long.
When the returning Leeds Rhinos winger scored twice for Hull KR against Huddersfield last June, he overtook Dany McGuire’s record of 247 tries and went on to finish the year on 254.
In the weeks after Hall broke the record, Leigh Leopards winger Josh Charnley also overtook McGuire’s total and ended the campaign on 248 tries, just six behind the 37-year-old Rhinos man.
Charnley has a better try-return over the last couple of seasons than Hall and is four years younger, so the six-time Grand Final winger knows it is only a matter of time before he too is overtaken at the top of the all-time Super League try-scoring chart.
“Josh is very close behind me and whether it happens this year, next year or whenever, I fully expect him to overtake me,” said Hall.
“So there will definitely be no rivalry between me and Josh, if anything it’s all quite friendly. When we get tagged in social media posts about it, we just give each other the thumbs up and wish each other all the best.
“But I do expect it to happen, so I’m not too precious about it (the record). That’s not why I play the game.
“Scoring tries in the by-product of playing in good teams. I’ve been playing for a long time, so that is probably why I’ve got so many tries.
“All the noise about the upcoming record last year was external but it wasn’t really on my radar, because it’s all about team first for me.”
Now back at his home town club, Hall will find himself on the opposite wing to former Parramatta Eels flyer Maika Sivo, with the two offering both pace and power to the Rhinos threequarter line.
And for Hall that could be key in Leeds earning some success and getting themselves back into the play-offs in 2025.
“That’s the plan,” added Hall.
“Modern wingers are used out in the back field to get sets started, so we have two decent examples there of what’s needed, but we just need to use it properly.
“Maika is a big playful thing and has been really good since he’s arrived. You might look at him and think he’s a nasty thing when he plays and swats people out the way, but he’s a bit of a joker.
“He’s got a jovial side to him, but he works hard and hopefully that will translate on the field.”
