Derek Hallas RIP

It is with much sadness that the club learned today of the passing of 1961 Championship winner Derek Hallas, who passed away yesterday 12th May, peacefully after a period of ill health. 

Derek Hallas cemented a place in Leeds Rugby League folklore with two tries in the Championship final victory over Warrington, a match that propelled him to fame.

Developing his rugby league skills at school, he began his senior career at Roundhay Rugby Union club, winning Yorkshire representative honours before switching codes. Impressing at Keighley, he joined Leeds as a replacement for Australian Test centre Keith McLellan in 1958. Of his 60 tries for the club, 21 came in the 1960/61 title winning season, when he played in his only final for the Loiners. By then he had developed a devastating partnership with Springbok winger Wilf Rosenberg, the impeccable service he gave enabling the ‘flying dentist’ to break the club’s post war seasonal try scoring record. After briefly returning to Keighley, he went on to play for Australian side Parramatta before retiring from the sport and returning to England. On the international scene, he gained two Great Britain caps in the same season as the title triumph.

Recalling his time at the club a few years ago, Derek revealed, “It was special playing for Leeds, they were the biggest club in rugby league, professionally run and you had to behave yourself, there were always standards to adhere to. When we played away, the team sheet went up and underlined in red at the bottom it would say ‘blazers must be worn’. The club badge was on the breast pocket and it carried the city’s Coat of Arms; it really meant something to be awarded one. Headingley was a wonderful stadium to play at. When we ran out, down the old concrete ramp in the corner, you got some speed up and looking around the stadium, seeing the crowd was terrific. It was a very wide pitch and that encouraged us to move the ball.

"I first played rugby league at Hunslet Carr School. In one game called Hurly Burly there were mats at either end of the hall. Obstacles, which included a piano in the corner, were placed in the way and the idea was to get the ball on to the opposite mat. The only rule was no kicking, so you ran or passed, which were great basic skills for league. At the same time, I regularly watched Hunslet with my father at Parkside. My heroes were full back Jack Walkington, centres Syd Rookes and Cyril Morrell and scrum half Billy Thornton.

"From school I joined Hunslet Supporters and Geoff Gunney, who became such a legend at Parkside, was in the team. I could have signed for Leigh, they were going to give me a job over there, but I knew it was not for me. Then, suddenly, I switched codes. My father knew George Todd, who’d played stand off for Hunslet in the Challenge Cup final win over Widnes in 1934.

"He coached at Roundhay Rugby Union club and persuaded me to join them. Then, as I was about to start my National Service, I received an offer to join Keighley, which was ideal. My girlfriend at the time, who is now my wife, and I were saving up to get married so the signing-on fee came in very handy. Keighley was a smashing club, I enjoyed my time at Lawkholme Lane but when the chairman said Leeds wanted to sign me, the opportunity was too great to turn down.

"At the start of our 1960/61 campaign, there were no wild predictions of winning the Championship even though we got off to a flyer, winning all but two of our league matches before December. We managed to maintain that form but we gained little credit from critics even though we lost just six times in 36 games. We had played some of the so-called better sides but rugby commentators still thought we had benefited from an easy fixture list and were in a false position. In the semi-final we faced Challenge Cup finalists St Helens, who were a week away from Wembley and were instantly written off by the pundits. We were 8-4 up late in the second half and under constant pressure but we had one piece of magic left. Suddenly, we created space, Barry Simms and Colin Evans combined and I got the ball as Mick Sullivan closed in on me. Normally he was a superb crash tackler but I had time to get my pass away to Wilf, some 40-yards out. He shot down the wing away from the cover with only Austin Rhodes to beat. For some reason the Saints full back chose to try and shoulder charge him into touch but missed and Wilf, in his characteristic style, dived in at the corner for one of the great Headingley tries.

"In the final, we knew we needed to get off to a flyer and did. With Barry Simms cleaning up in the scrum it was one-way traffic. They were never in the game, our forwards got a ton of ball and we could have had 20-odd points by half time if we had taken all our chances. My first score was courtesy of our forwards who were so much on top by them. Brian Shaw, Dennis Goodwin and Trevor Whitehead combined magnificently, all I had to do was follow them and I was diving over. Then Lewis Jones made one of his magical breaks, Ken Thornett linked superbly and I saw the line and went for it.

"To win was a huge thrill, even more so because we proved everyone wrong. We dedicated the championship success to chairman Rex Proctor, who never saw the conclusion of his hopes for the club as he had been tragically killed in a motor accident in South Wales a few weeks earlier. He was a great man. On the Sunday, we left the Civic Hall by open top bus for a civic reception. The crowds were terrific around the city centre to City Square where we met the Lord Mayor of Leeds. To continue the celebrations we went to Paris. The players had been the year before so we went back with our wives and had a fabulous few days. Then we did the rounds at Working Men’s Clubs to celebrate with supporters, which was great. The following season the team began to break up. I rejoined Keighley then moved Down Under to Parramatta. I got plenty of stick from the Aussies but learnt to adapt and squared one or two accounts! It was a tremendous experience, I had no regrets. After six years, that was it for me. Keighley wanted me to return and they were going to pay me win, lose or draw but I’d had enough as a player. My boots are somewhere between Sydney Harbour and Wellington."

In total, made 135 appearances for Leeds, scoring 60 tries and 18 goals for a total of 216. He gave outstanding service to the club in later life when he was an integral members of the Players Association, constantly staying in touch with his former team mates and updating them on life at Headingley including phone calls to Ken Thornett back in Australia. He was a great friend to Lewis Jones, his former captain, particularly in later years with the pair sharing a love of golf and was a regular at Leeds games up until recently. 

Our deepest sympathies go to Derek's family and friends at this sad time as a proud era in the club's history comes to an end.