Hi, I’m Adrian Morley, a Player Ambassador and Wellbeing Manager with Rugby League Cares, which is an independent charity that works hard to support the sport’s players, coaches, administrators and match officials.
As a former player, I’m passionate about my role at RL Cares and the opportunities it gives me to use all my experiences from my career to help the young men and women playing rugby league today.
Players are at the heart of what RL Cares is all about and I feel privileged to be able to share what I learned – and occasionally should have learned – while playing 550 first grade games, both here in the UK and in Australia.
Rugby league took me to places I could never have dreamed of visiting when I first started my sporting journey as a young lad playing for my local amateur club, Eccles in Salford.
I have fantastic memories of my time playing as a junior: without the commitment and dedication of all my coaches and, of course, my mum and dad, I would never have gone on to achieve all I did in this great sport: four Challenge Cup final wins, Grand Final victories in both Super League and the NRL and 53 international appearances.
Captaining Warrington Wolves to three Wembley wins was very special but my proudest achievement came in 2022 when I was inducted into the RL Hall of Fame: what an honour it is to be a member of what is the sport’s most exclusive club.
It’s sometimes easy to take for granted the things we all learn from playing rugby league: the importance of working together as a team, being there for your mates in both good times and bad, getting fit and having fun are all part and parcel of life as a rugby league player, no matter how old you are.
Even now, when I pull on a jersey to play in charity fundraising matches, the values that I learned as a teenager are important to me: I may not be as fit or as fast as I used to be, but the smile on my face is as wide as ever when I run onto the pitch.
Throughout my career, I strived to be the best I could be, both as a player and as a person: that’s something I try to get across to the people I meet on a daily basis through my work with RL Cares.
Life as a professional athlete brings many advantages but it can sometimes have its downsides, which is why RL Cares is so important. Every Super League club has its own dedicated player wellbeing manager but sometimes players need an independent voice to offer them advice, and since I joined the charity in January 2025 I’ve been getting the word out that this is one of the reasons why I am here.
I’m also working closely with the head coaches to set up a support network for them: all coaches work under intense pressure and scrutiny which can leave them feeling isolated. With help from RL Cares, the coaches need to know they are never alone.
The charity is also there for players in good times: we offer a range of grants to help players get the qualifications they need to become as successful off the field as they are on it when the time comes to start the next chapter of their working lives.
Education is really important for players, regardless of whether they play professionally or in the community game. That’s something I stress all the time to my own kids.
Another aspect of my involvement with RL Cares that gives me great pleasure is taking part in the charity’s annual fundraising bike ride: like all charities, we have to work hard to raise the funds needed to continue making a positive difference to the lives of so many people.
This year, in September, I’ll be heading to the USA to cycle 400 miles from the White House in Washington DC to Central Park in New York City, with all funds raised going to RL Cares. If you’d like to sponsor me, please get in touch!
adrian.morley@rlcares.org.uk
