If there’s anyone who knows about the importance of a Rugby League Ashes Series to an Englishman, then it’s Ellery Hanley MBE.
“I’ve been so privileged to have played in the Ashes – it’s probably the hardest contest you’ll ever play in in your life,” said Hanley, who represented Great Britain on 36 occasions and scored 20 tries.
“All three tests will test your endurance, mentality and your physicality. It’s the pinnacle of your career, regardless of how many Grand Finals you’ve played in, how many Wembley appearances you’ve made, or World Cups. It’s bigger than any of those.
“The Ashes is playing against the very best and coming up against the toughest and most successful team on the planet.”
One of the sport's greats, and a true Great Britain legend who served as both a player and head coach on the international stage, Hanley knows exactly what it takes to beat Australia, and how precious those wins are.
Part of a fiercely brave generation who played in the touring glory days, Hanley featured against Australia in the years 1984 to 1992 and was a prominent figure in the team who broke a ten-year losing streak against the Kangaroos in 1988.
Under the tenure of the iconic Malcolm Reilly, Great Britain won their third and final 1988 Ashes test match in Sydney, Down Under (26-12) – a day forever etched in history.
Hanley then went on to captain Great Britain in the 1990 Ashes Series, where his side pulled off a famous 19-12 victory in the opening test at Wembley Stadium.
He played an influential role in this win, assisting teammate and great friend Martin Offiah’s try with a wonderful kick.
“Martin [Offiah] showed full guts to get that ball down. He stayed on side, chased the kick and it was just magnificent.
“We were playing under the great leadership of Mal Reilly, and it was an incredible time. Being at Wembley and winning the first test was so good for us, because at that particular time we really needed something to give us that confidence that we could beat the Australians.
“We just couldn’t quite get the job done in terms of winning the Ashes that year,” Hanley went on to explain.
It was a memorable night at Wembley for the nation, but sheer heartbreak would soon follow as Great Britain went on to lose their next two tests, including the second at Old Trafford, where the chance to win a first Ashes Series since the 1970s was cruelly snatched away from them.
The prolific and respected Hanley, a three-time Man of Steel, might have won everything domestically possible to win at Wigan, but at international level, it hurts that he couldn't tick off an Ashes Series during his playing career.
He had one more chance to do it as a coach in 1994, however. Following Reilly’s decision to step down, Hanley was appointed head coach of the Lions during the Ashes Series of that same year.
No stranger to the hallowed turf, Hanley guided his country to a win at Wembley again - something he describes as "one of the greatest victories ever."
A courageous 12-man Lions teams pulled off a gutsy 8-4 win in their first test at Wembley, and held out despite captain Shaun Edwards being red-carded in the first half for a high tackle.
But similar to 1990, they couldn't quite back it up in the later two tests.
“Coaching against Australia was just as difficult as playing," admitted Hanley. "It was gruesome and tough playing, but coaching is just as hard because you don’t have that control anymore.
“There’s only a certain amount you can do once you've obviously done your coaching skills and relayed what you want from your players."
Looking back, Hanley has some truly incredible memories representing Great Britain - memories which have and will last him a lifetime.
And he has an inspiring message for the England stars of present day:
“Any players coming through now into the England side should never forget that there’s only a small part of your career and time that you have in rugby league whereby you'll only play against Australia in probably a handful of games - if you're fortunate enough.
“And so you've got to take care of your opportunity. What you get and when you take that opportunity, you've got to grasp it with both hands. But grasp it with the intelligence and understanding of what you have to do for every split second on that field.
“Because believe me, I know from experience as a player and as a coach, that if you do not grasp that moment for a split second, well, think about how close we came to winning.
"We came so close winning an Ashes Series back in the day.
“In a split moment and in a second, you can change the course and the history of a game just like that if you don't make the right decision.
“You're in for a tough encounter. You have to be on your game for the whole 80 minutes. There has to be no concentration lapse whatsoever, and every player is a captain on the field that day.
“Every player has to look after every aspect of his game. The simpler the game is against Australia, the more you give yourself a better chance of winning."
It’s less than two months to go until the rivalry is finally reignited between England and Australia in an Ashes Series at Wembley Stadium, a place that's been a happy hunting ground for opening Ashes test wins.
Their reunion is highly anticipated and Hanley is hoping for a magnificent occasion, hopefully coupled with success:
“England go into this year’s Ashes Series and they are physically going to be tough enough."
“Australia and the league they play in, is the toughest league in the world.
“The Australians are well equipped all round, and I pay tremendous respect for them simply because I think once you're at the top and been magnificent for so long that length of time, then you must be brilliant and must have that brilliant concentration.
“There’s bound to be a lot of nerves flying around the England camp, but Australia will be nervous too. They will probably come in with the confidence though, as they believe that they are still a lot more superior than England.
“Our advantage though, which wasn’t as much as when I played, is that we have a number of players playing down under in the NRL who have that experience where we aren’t necessarily underdogs anymore and worry we cannot beat them.
“I think that it's going to be a tough game and we wouldn't expect anything different. Australia have got some quality players but so have England too.”
“I’d love us to win the Ashes, but it's going to be a difficult task. I just hope it's a really good game and it's tight, really super tight.”
Will you be there to witness history as England search for their first Ashes Series victory since 1970?
Rivalries will be reignited when England take on Australia in the ABK Beer Rugby League Ashes this autumn. The two nations will meet in a three-match test series over 20 years in the making and with the second and third test completely SOLD OUT; Wembley Stadium on Saturday 25 October is your only place to watch this fierce rivalry live!
Book your Wembley tickets here with prices starting from just £20 for adults and £10 for U16’s.
