Kruise Leeming’s drive to become the best hooker in Super League is being fuelled by the greatest player in British rugby league history – Ellery Hanley. The Leeds Rhinos captain has built a friendship with legendary former Great Britain international Hanley, who coached the Combined Nations All Stars earlier this year.
Leeming played for the All Stars in their 18-4 defeat and bonded with Hanley, with the pair now regular gym buddies. The 27-year-old was snubbed by Shaun Wane for England’s World Cup campaign but has spoken of his desire to force his way into the next squad and also become the best hooker in Super League in 2023.
He also wants to retain the captaincy he held at Leeds last season and reckons Hanley’s influence can help him to achieve his goals.
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Leeming told Leeds Live: “Ellery has had a love for my career since I was at Huddersfield Giants. When I came to Leeds, I saw him and I didn’t think he’d know who I was but he came and spoke to me.
“It was like we had known each other for years and he mentioned games he’d seen me play for Huddersfield. He said he would have loved to have played with me and that was when I first signed for Leeds. I didn’t realise he had followed me so closely and then he coached me with the All Stars.”
The relationship continued to blossom and now the pair play squash together. “I’ve been doing a lot of work with Ellery during pre-season,” Leeming explained.
“He’s really helped me and I don’t want to leave any stone unturned. I feel having Ellery there supporting me – being able to pick his brains and train with him – is just fantastic.
“It’s almost like having the chance to train with a boxer like Floyd Mayweather because Ellery was the Floyd Mayweather of rugby league. I’ve learnt so much in such a short period of time and I’m going to work with him for the rest of my career because he’s brilliant.
“The training is great, but sometimes we just sit in the sauna for twenty minutes and talk about his mindset and how he lives his life. It’s just so fascinating listening to the best in any walk of life, but a rugby league legend like Ellery Hanley?
“It doesn’t get any better for me and speaking to someone like Ellery is never a wasted conversation. I think if you took someone like Ellery or a Cristiano Ronaldo and dropped them into another field, they would be successful in that too. It’s about mindset, attitude and desire.”
Hanley is 61 but he remains in outstanding physical condition, a testament to his healthy lifestyle.
“It’s ridiculous, but the discipline he has in his life is something that I had but he takes it to another level,” added Leeming. "Sometimes rugby league is not seen as one of the biggest sports, but with Ellery you know that he was a top-level athlete, not just in rugby league.
“He could have probably played any sport and been successful because of the way that he lived his life and the discipline that he had, and still has to this day. That’s what I want to become – not just good at rugby but ultimately one of the best athletes that you can be.
“When I eventually retire, I want to look back and say ‘I couldn’t have done any more’.”
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