Ash Handley
{{short description|England international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| name = Ash Handley
| fullname = Ashley Phillip Handley[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/gS6wL0z5cU6RvVL7FBS4D-2hYqo/appointments Companies House]
| image = Ash Handley.jpg
| image_size =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|02|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{convert|1.9|m|ftin|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| weight = {{convert|92|kg|stlb|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| position = {{rlp|WG|CE}}
| club1 = Leeds Rhinos
| year1start = 2014
| year1end = present
| appearances1 = 212
| tries1 = 127
| goals1 = 2
| fieldgoals1 = 0
| points1 = 512
| club2 = {{nowrap|→ Featherstone Rovers}}
| year2start = 2016{{small|(loan)}}
| year2end =
| appearances2 = 3
| tries2 = 2
| goals2 = 0
| fieldgoals2 = 0
| points2 = 8
| club3 = {{nowrap|→ Featherstone Rovers}}
| year3start = 2017{{small|(loan)}}
| year3end =
| appearances3 = 7
| tries3 = 4
| goals3 = 0
| fieldgoals3 = 0
| points3 = 16
| club4 = {{nowrap|→ Featherstone Rovers}}
| year4start = 2018{{small|(loan)}}
| year4end =
| appearances4 = 1
| tries4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| fieldgoals4 = 0
| points4 = 0
| teamA = England Knights
| yearAstart = 2018
| yearAend =
| appearancesA = 1
| triesA = 0
| goalsA = 0
| fieldgoalsA = 0
| pointsA = 0
| teamB = {{rlnt|England}}
| yearBstart = 2023
| yearBend =
| appearancesB = 2
| triesB = 5
| goalsB = 0
| fieldgoalsB = 0
| pointsB = 20
| retired = no
| source = {{Rugby league records |id=6279 |title=Ash Handley |access-date=11 May 2023}}[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/ash-handley/summary.html Rugby League Project]
| updated = 30 October 2024
}}
Ashley Handley (born 16 February 1996) is an English rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|wg}}er and {{rlp|ce}} for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League.
He has spent time on loan from Leeds at Featherstone Rovers in the Championship.
Background
Career
Handley played for amateur side Oulton Raiders before signing for Leeds Rhinos. He made his first team début against London Broncos in August 2014.{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/leeds-rhinos/london-broncos-40-leeds-rhinos-36-cup-finalists-suffer-embarrassing-defeat-1-6790711|title=London Broncos 40 Leeds Rhinos 36: Cup finalists suffer embarrassing defeat|date=18 August 2014|work=Yorkshire Evening Post|accessdate=18 April 2015}} This was Handley's only first team appearance during the 2014 Super League season, and his next first team appearance was in the 2014 Boxing Day friendly fixture against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats when he scored five tries as Leeds won 50-28.{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/leeds-rhinos/leeds-rhinos-50-wakefield-trinity-28-early-trinity-promise-fades-as-handley-shines-for-rhinos-1-7022372|title=Leeds Rhinos 50 Wakefield Trinity 28: Early Trinity promise fades as Handley shines for Rhinos|date=27 December 2014|accessdate=18 April 2015|work=Yorkshire Post}}
For the 2015 Super League season, Handley was called in the first team squad and scored two tries on his Super League home début as Leeds defeated Wigan Warriors on 20 March 2015.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/mar/20/leeds-rhinos-wigan-super-league-match-report|title=Adam Cuthbertson drives Leeds Rhinos to victory over injury-hit Wigan|date=20 March 2015|accessdate=18 April 2015|work=The Guardian }}
Assigned squad number 27, Handley established himself as a first team regular and scored a first-half hat trick against St Helens in April 2015{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/32303538|title=Super League: St Helens 16-41 Leeds Rhinos|work=BBC Sport|date=17 April 2015|accessdate=18 April 2015 }} With the second hat-trick coming in July 2015 against the same club - St Helens.
Handley has been awarded a place in the main squad in 2016 after his fantastic performance in this year's Rhinos treble winning season, he has been given the 22 Jersey. From the 2019 season, Handley wore the number 5 Jersey replacing Ryan Hall.
On 17 October 2020, he scored two tries for Leeds in the 2020 Challenge Cup Final victory over Salford at Wembley Stadium.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/54555957/|title=Leeds beat Salford 17-16 after Luke Gale lands late winning drop-goal|work=BBC Sport }}
In round 17 of the 2022 Betfred Super League season, Handley scored five tries for Leeds in a 62-16 victory over Hull F.C.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/61995699/|title=Super League: Hull FC 16-62 Leeds Rhinos - Ash Handley scores five tries in rout|work=BBC Sport }}
On 24 September 2022, Handley played for Leeds in their 24-12 loss to St Helens RFC in the 2022 Super League Grand Final.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/sep/24/st-helens-leeds-super-league-grand-final-match-report-rugby-league/|title=St Helens sink Leeds to win record fourth consecutive Grand Final|newspaper=The Observer|date=24 September 2022 |last1=Bower |first1=Aaron }}
Handley played a total of 23 games for Leeds in the 2023 Super League season and scored 11 tries as the club finished 8th on the table and missed the playoffs.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/leeds-rhinos-2023-season-review-picking-out-the-best-and-worst-players-performances-results-4355920/|title=Leeds Rhinos' 2023 season review: picking out the best and worst players, performances, results|website=www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk}}
Handley played 18 matches for Leeds in the 2024 Super League and scored 14 tries. The club would finish 8th on the table.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/from-310-to-810-peter-smiths-leeds-rhinos-player-ratings-for-2024-season-4799226/|title=Leeds Rhinos player ratings from the 2024 Super League season|website=www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk}}
International career
In July 2018 he was selected in the England Knights Performance squad.{{cite web|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/ten-new-additions-in-england-knights-squad/|title=Ten new additions in England Knights squad|publisher=loverugbyleague|date=24 July 2018|accessdate=31 October 2019}} Later that year he was selected for the England Knights on their tour of Papua New Guinea. He played against Papua New Guinea at the Oil Search National Football Stadium.{{cite web|url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/live-scores/papua-new-guinea-v-england-knights-international-2018/718007#lineup|title=Papua New Guinea vs England Knights|publisher=WWOS|date=3 November 2018|accessdate=29 October 2019}}
He was selected in England 9s squad for the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s.{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/sam-tomkins-eager-lift-inaugural-20595184|title=Sam Tomkins eager to lift inaugural World 9s title with England Down Under|publisher=Mirror|date=16 October 2019|accessdate=29 October 2019}}
On 29 April 2023, Handley scored a hat-trick in England's 64-0 victory over France.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/rugby-league/65418274/|title=England beat France 64-0 - hat-tricks for Handley and Williams|work=BBC Sport |date=28 April 2023 }}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.therhinos.co.uk/player/ash-handley/ Leeds Rhinos profile]
- [https://www.superleague.co.uk/player/219/ash-handley SL profile]
{{Leeds Rhinos squad}}
{{Leeds Rhinos - 2020 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{England 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s squad}}
{{Great Britain 2019 Lions squad}}
{{2019 Super League Dream Team}}
{{2020 Super League Dream Team}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Handley, Ash}}
Category:England Knights national rugby league team players
Category:England national rugby league team players
Category:English rugby league players
Category:Featherstone Rovers players