T&A breaks the good news to Halley

6:40am Wednesday 19th November 2008

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Stunned Bulls winger Dave Halley didn’t even realise he’d been named his country’s top player.

The Bradfordian was award-ed Wales’ player of the year at a glittering international awards ceremony in Brisbane on Sunday night.

While brilliant Aussie full back Billy Slater picked up the world’s finest gong and dejected England duo Gareth Ellis and James Graham came top in their positions, Halley was praised in the emerging nations categories.

“I never knew anything about that!” he said, after being asked about his feat by the T&A.

“It’s the first I’ve heard of it but it’s a great achievement.

“I’m really pleased to get it, especially when you think of some of the players who have pulled on the Wales jersey.”

The RLIF decided to mark the 2008 Rugby League World Cup and the game’s centenary in Australia by introducing the international awards that will provide ongoing recognition of players throughout the world.

It is voted on achievements between October 2007 and October of this year, a period which saw Halley burst onto the Wales scene, scoring twice on his debut against Papua New Guinea and appearing in all four of his country’s Tests.

He impressed during their win over Scotland last year, although ultimately it wasn’t enough to win them a World Cup place, their final chance going in a defeat to Lebanon.

Halley, 22, was relatively inexperienced then but returned to action as one of the more senior heads in a new-look Wales side vanquished 72-0 by Australia-bound England last month.

But, again playing full back, as he has throughout his international career, he produced some of his country’s rare bright moments.

Halley admitted: “Without being over-confident, I have had some of my best games for Wales.

“We had a pretty depleted squad last time out and we are rebuilding, so me and Craig Kopczak had to step up a bit.

“But those first games last year when greats like Iestyn (Harris) and Lee Briers were still playing, they were really something to remember.

“It’s a lot different now but I’m really enjoying working under John Dixon and Justin Morgan and also Iestyn, who’s now coaching. He only turned up for one day though!”