Danny Washbrook hangs up his boots

York forward Danny Washbrook will retire from rugby league at the end of the season.

The 35-year-old has made more than 350 career appearances for Hull, Wakefield and York.

Washbrook reached the 2006 Super League Grand Final with Hull and was also part of the side that won back-to-back Challenge Cups in 2016 and 2017.

On his retirement, Washbrook said: “My body felt that it could do another year and I didn’t want to end after playing, what, five games last year before it was cancelled.

“I didn’t want to go out like that so I thought, let’s go another year. Now, though, the time feels right to call it a day. I’ve got a job now, I’ve settled into that and it’s going well so I’m looking forward to it.

“I’ve been involved with the game for sixteen seasons and it takes its toll on you as a player but also on your family. You don’t get to go on holidays in the summer like everyone else, your weekend’s plans can change depending on when the game takes place.

“It can be hard at times and then, at the end of the season, you get your six weeks off when the kids are at school and it’s cold and dark. It’s going to be great to be able to spend a bit of time with the family in the summer.

“I do enjoy coaching, I did it for about 10 years here and there at amateur teams so it might be something later down the line but not yet.”

Washbrook made 229 appearances for hometown club Hull across two spells for the club, and played more than 100 games for Wakefield.

He added: “Early on, playing in the Super League Grand Final, is a night I won’t forget. I probably didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have at the time. I’d just turned 21 before that and the club won the Challenge Cup in 2005 so I probably thought that there was every chance I could be in the Grand Final or Cup final again.

“Some players never play in a Grand Final so to do that early in my career was special. Winning at Wembley in 2016 was special, as well. Winning the Challenge Cup there was the thing that everyone held over Hull at that time so to be able to be part of the first-ever team that did it, to be part of that history, is something that I’m really proud of.

“To then do that back-to-back, with Hull never having done that before, was amazing. To do that with my hometown club is something really special to me.

“Winning the first-ever Million Pound Game with Wakefield was great as well. I’d already signed to go back to Hull but to play my part in securing the club’s future was brilliant and scoring a try in that match was a good way to finish.”