Robert Kelly (rugby league)


Robert "Bob" Kelly is an Irish professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, and coached in the 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Other Nationalities, and at club level for Keighley, Wakefield Trinity , and Batley, as a, or, i.e. number 8 or 10, or, 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums, and coached at club level for Batley.

Playing career

International honours

Bob Kelly won caps for Other Nationalities while at Wakefield Trinity in 1955 against England, and France, and represented Great Britain while at Wakefield Trinity in 1956 against France.
Along with William "Billy" Banks, Edward "Ted" Cahill, Gordon Haynes, Keith Holliday, William "Billy" Ivison, John McKeown, George Parsons and Edward "Ted" Slevin, Bob Kelly's only Great Britain appearance came against France prior to 1957, these matches were not considered as Test matches by the Rugby Football League, and consequently caps were not awarded.

County Cup Final appearances

Bob Kelly played right-, i.e. number 12, in Keighley's 3-17 defeat by Wakefield Trinity in the 1951–52 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1951–52 season at Fartown Ground, Huddersfield on Saturday 27 October 1951 in front of a crowd of 25,495, played left-, i.e. number 11, and was captain in Wakefield Trinity's 23-5 victory over Hunslet in the 1956–57 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1956–57 season at Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 20 October 1956 in front of a crowd of 31,147, and played left- in the 20-24 defeat by Leeds in the 1958–59 Yorkshire County Cup Final during the 1958–59 season at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 18 October 1958.

Notable tour matches

Bob Kelly played left-, i.e. number 11, in Wakefield Trinity’s 17–12 victory over Australia in the 1956–57 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France match at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Monday 10 December 1956.

Contemporaneous Article Extract

"…Kelly joined Trinity from Keighley R.L. in an exchange deal with Harry Murphy in season 1952-3…".

Coaching career

Club career

Bob Kelly was the coach of Batley from July 1962 to October 1962.

Honoured by Rugby League Ireland

On 25 March 2004 six footballers were inducted into Rugby League Ireland's inaugural Hall of Fame at the Rugby League Heritage Centre in Huddersfield, they were; John "Jack" Daly, Robert "Bob" Kelly, Seamus McCallion, Thomas "Tom" McKinney,, Terry O'Connor, Patrick "Paddy" Reid.