League legend Hall not focused on 500-game landmark

Ryan Hall returned to Leeds for a second spell in 2024

Leeds Rhinos winger Ryan Hall has said he is "not bothered" about the achievement of reaching 500 career appearances in Saturday's home game against Wigan.

The 37-year-old, who made his debut for the Rhinos in May 2007, is the record try-scorer in Super League with 256.

He won six Grand Finals, one World Club Challenge and two Challenge Cups in his first spell with Leeds before returning to Headingley at the end of last season.

"I never thought I'd get to the milestones I have done but I'm not too bothered to be deadly honest... 500 games, yeah, everyone will make a big deal about it but I just see it as another game," he told BBC Radio Leeds.

"A game against Wigan is big enough as it is and Leeds v Wigan is always a big game that means a lot to both teams.

"I'm trying to put all the accolades to one side because at the end of the day it is 80 minutes of rugby league."

Hall has also made 47 international appearances for England and Great Britain and had stints with Sydney Roosters and Hull KR.

He has reflected on his start in the professional game against Bradford Bulls at the first ever Magic Weekend in Cardiff in 2007.

"It was a game that had everything and I remember it quite fondly. What a game to make my entrance into rugby league," he said.

"I was just happy to be playing. If you go back 18 months before that I was just playing at my community club Oulton Raiders. I wasn't playing for any kind of career, I just did it because I enjoyed the game.

"Fast forward 18 months' time and I was at one of the biggest clubs in the world on that stage. I had to pinch myself that I was getting paid to do something I was doing for nowt."

Early lessons set Hall up for lengthy career

Hall is in the top 20 list for appearances in Super League with 381.

He said that missing out on a Grand Final appearance in his first season - when Leeds beat St Helens - was a vital lesson in setting him up for a long career.

"There's a bit of playing when you're hurt and I learnt that really early on," he said.

"In my first year in 2007 I'd payed nine games which I was really happy with and I was on to make my 10th appearance.

"You got a financial kickback for making 10 appearances but in my ninth I got a bad dead leg that locked up.

"The coach Tony Smith asked how I'd be for Friday for the game at Bradford and I was naive at the time and I said 'I don't know if it'll be right' and Tony turned around and said 'you might regret that decision because once you've given up your shirt it'll be hard to get back in' and ultimately I didn't get back in that year.

"In terms of how have I done it, I think sometimes you have to play a bit hurt."