Hanley ‘was set to be brickie’ before rebuilding career

Rejected by Wigan while still in his teens, Umyla Hanley was less than 24 hours away from turning his back on rugby league for good and getting a job on a building site.

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Hanley had spent a frustrating period out on loan at Championship club Newcastle in 2022 and returned to find he was surplus to requirements at his hometown side.

“I'd gone out and bought some work boots and a hi-vis vest and I was all set to go out on the construction site on the Monday and be a brickie or whatever,” Hanley told the PA news agency.