Alf Ellaby

Alf Ellaby (24 November 1902 — 1993) birth registered in Prescot, was an English rugby league footballer of the 1920s and '30s. A wing three-quarter back, he retired as the England national team's and St. Helens' all-time top try-scorer. Also a Great Britain and Lancashire representative player, Ellaby was dubbed the "Hat-trick King", with 31 for his home-town club, St. Helens. He was Liverpool's first rugby league superstar.

Background

Born in Liverpool, Ellaby He saw a promising Association football career with Rotherham United ended by a knee injury before going on to become a St. Helens legend.

Playing career

Alf Ellaby scored 50 tries during the 1926–27 season, and 280 in 289 matches for St. Helens. Ellaby won caps for England while at St. Helens in 1927 against Wales, in 1928 against Wales (2 matches), in 1930 Other Nationalities, in 1931 against Wales, in 1932 against Wales (2 matches), and in 1934 against France. He also won caps for Great Britain in 1928 against Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (2 matches), in 1929 against Australia, 1930 against Australia, in 1932 Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (2 matches), in 1933 Australia. Ellaby set the St Helens club's record for most tries in a match with six on 5 March 1932, a record that has since been matched, but never broken. Ellaby played in St. Helens' victory in the Lancashire League during the 1931–32 season. Due to being on the 1932 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, Ellaby and Albert Fildes did not play in St. Helens' 9-5 victory over Huddersfield in the Championship final during the 1931–32 season at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Saturday 7 May 1932.