Balmain great Ellery Hanley makes a return to Leichhardt Oval

ELLERY Hanley is still blown away by the reception he receives from rugby league fans in Australia.

Ellery Hanley

ELLERY Hanley has no memory of that moment.

"The Terry Lamb tackle in '88? No, got nothing," the cult Englishman concedes. "I've never watched a replay of that game either, not once in 24 years, so I still don't know what happened.

"It's funny because, here in Oz, everyone remembers me for it. Part of the history. The other day, I even had guys bowing in front of me ... "

Of all the Great British imports embraced by this country - think Marmite, Eastenders, even Leo Sayer - has there ever been one more genuinely beloved than the shaven Balmain utility known universally as Pearl?

Arriving Down Under in '88, Hanley broke tackles, bones and who knows how many hearts?

The 36-Test superstar carried Balmain to the 1988 grand final, only to be kayoed so far off the ball by Lamb, few people saw it happen. "And we've never met up since," he laughs. "Although, to be fair, I've been in England."

Chatting now over a plate of prawns, the ageless international is trying to comprehend how a footballer boasting only 47 games (albeit in two stints separated by a decade) can now return to Australia and be cheered by Qantas staff, hugged by the NSW Origin coach, even find his name up on the old Leichhardt Oval scoreboard.

"It chokes me up," he says. "I've never missed an Origin game on TV in nine years. So to be here and invited into the sheds, I couldn't believe they'd want to talk with me. People ask me about racism in the '80s, if anything I found Australians to be genuinely colour blind."

Still in top shape - "I play squash, racquetball and have never had a drink in my life" - Hanley spends most of his time gigging as a motivational speaker.

Twice he's met the Queen. Seven Pommy premierships to his credit too. Although ask his age and he shrugs, saying we can write in whatever we like.

So life is good Pearl? "I'm at the stage where I can go wherever, stay wherever. And all that, I owe to rugby league.To guys like the ones I'll be catching up with in a fortnight at our Balmain gala dinner. I can't wait.

"And who knows, they might even serve up lamb."

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