Deano on The Hull Derby

The highly anticipated Hull Derby returns on Good Friday, and we caught up with Dean Hadley, a.k.a ‘Deanooo’ – a Hull man who has played for both sides.

Hadley is a hero of the Hull city – interpret that whichever way you will – having played for the Black & Whites from 2013 to 2019, before making the controversial switch to ‘the other side.’

But he has well and truly thrived at the Robins – racking up over 100 appearances and has played a pivotal part in Hull KR’s rise, who are now looked upon as genuine contenders in the Betfred Super League.

And this year’s Good Friday tradition is set to be bigger and better than ever, as Hull KR and Hull FC enter this Rivals Round fixture occupying 1st and 2nd in the league table.

Who’d have thought it?

With both sides leading the way, Hadley is raring to go on Good Friday, as Hull KR make a second trip to the MKM Stadium in 2025, following their emphatic Challenge Cup victory just two weeks ago:

“The derby games are the games you want to play in,” said Hull KR's Hadley. “That Challenge Cup quarter final was great. When you run out and there’s 20,000+ fans, it’s absolutely incredible.

“As a player you don’t need to get yourself up for it, the noise and the atmosphere naturally raises the intensity, and the adrenaline just goes through the roof.

“It was good to get the win – it was a big game, and it has put us in another semi-final.”

But does the feeling of a Hull Derby ever get old, Deano?

“It never gets old,” Hadley insisted, who has played in both sets of colours.

“I'm lucky that I've been able to play for both sides and witness and sample it from both perspectives. I know exactly what it means to everybody and to this city. It literally is a city divided.

“It means a lot to everybody and it’s hard to describe really, unless you're in it. It's hard to understand just how big it is and how important it is to players, fans, the staff and the people in and around the clubs.

“It means a hell of a lot and we’re lucky as players that we get to have a say in the result. Hopefully, we can put in a good performance on Friday and more importantly get the win.”

Rivals Round often divides family and friends for the weekend, and Hadley has first-hand experience of this:

“In my family, I’ve got a couple that are Black & White and now I’ve got a couple have been converted to Red & White. When we say it's a divided city, it really is, you’re either black and white or red and white – there is no in between.

“And then with people outside of rugby, whenever it’s a Hull Derby, it’s a game that grabs the attention of everybody and involves everyone. Everyone gets on board and watches on.

“They're obviously massive games and when you’re involved in rugby league, you know how big it is. It captures the full city.”

Hadley’s switch to Hull KR six years ago certainly raised more than a few eyebrows, as he crossed the divide with teammate Jez Litten.

But looking back, he is glad he followed his intuition...

“I can remember when Paul Cooke switched over and that was massive over here at the time. It didn’t go down too well for him!

“It was tough decision for me at the time – I’d been at Hull since I was 10 or 11 years of age. I was there a very long time.

“But I got to the point in my career where I felt I needed a change. It was really hard to move on and with where I chose to go as well – I supposed I didn’t do it easy!

“It was tough, but I needed to make the move and I’ve got no regrets. I’ve really grown at Hull KR and my reasons for leaving are justified – I’ve justified it by playing week in week out.

“That’s what I really wanted to do – stamp myself in a team and feel important and I feel like I’ve done that.”

And Hull KR, who were last year's beaten Grand Finalists, have had a remarkable resurgence, as Hadley said:

“Today looks totally different to my first day when I joined Hull KR. I joined in the 2020 season – myself and Jez Litten went to watch the back end of the 2019 season.

“Rovers were struggling and in a relegation battle, but luckily, we managed to stay up on the last day.

“The change in the club has been massive since, but it’s not been an overnight thing.

“It's been a gradual season-on-season improvement. We’ve reached the Play-Offs, then a few semi-finals and a couple of finals now and I thought that last year we had a really consistent season.

“We’ve laid down the marker to say that we are a top team, and now it’s all about going again and going that next step as well, which is obviously winning trophies. We really want that sustained success. You look at your Wigans and St Helens – they don’t just have one good season; they are consistently at the top end of the table and competing for trophies.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but I’m really confident in this group of players and the people involved off the field as well.”

Hull-born, Hadley has grown up immersed in rugby league – and where Hull derbies are concerned, he’s featured in 14 of them to date, including the Challenge Cup quarter-final at the start of this month.

He can also recall some of his favourite moments watching The Hull Derby:

“All of the ones I’ve played in have been important,” admitted Hadley.

“The other week felt a little bit bigger because it was a quarter-final and the first Challenge Cup game against Hull FC in over 40 years. That’s probably the biggest one that I've played in as you could really feel the importance of that game.

“I’ve also been lucky enough to score a couple of tries for both teams in the derby.

“Favourite moments watching a Hull Derby…well…I was there at Magic Weekend when David Hodgson scored the late match-winner for Hull KR in 2012!

“I went as a fan watching that year.

SOUND ON ??

A #MagicWeekend Derby Day to remember for @hullkrofficial & David Hodgson in 2012 ?

Just listen to that commentary reaction as well ? #SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/9gdizpkdYP

— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) June 21, 2022

“I can also remember Tom Briscoe’s important tackle on Peter Fox in 2010 to stop Hull KR from scoring a try to win in the last second!”

Derby day moments don’t come more dramatic than that, do they?

“And I think the first Hull Derby when Hull KR came into Super League in 2007 is a standout moment – that first derby was really big.

“I was a teenager back then but I can remember all the build-up to that game. It’s something we’d not seen before. Rovers have been out of the top division for a while, so it was massive. You could really feel the excitement around the city. That was a good time.”

Looking ahead to a blockbuster Good Friday, Hull KR will be hoping to record a fourth straight derby win over their nearest and dearest.

But despite these comfortable victories, Hadley knows his side cannot afford to be complacent, with FC undoubtedly out to avenge their disappointing Challenge Cup defeat.

“We’re expecting a tough game. Hull are a much-improved side this year and sometimes having a tough year or two can make you a better and stronger side in the future.

“They’ve got some quality senior players and young players too which are benefitting from that. They’ve got a good mix and blend of youth and experience, and we saw how they performed against Warrington last week.

“It’s a clash between first and second, so we know we’re going up against a quality side.

“It’s going to be great. To play in a derby is unreal – the atmosphere and the intensity just goes to another level.

“The scoreline did stretch out a bit in that Challenge Cup game, but it didn't reflect the game. That first half was really, really tough.

“We know we will need to be at our best.”

And of course, we simply had to ask, is the Hull Derby the biggest derby in rugby league?

“The Hull Derby is definitely the biggest derby in rugby league. I’m a Hull lad so I’m going to be biased, but there’s just something extra special about this game!

“It’s literally one city divided. Unless you're in it and you've sampled it, it's hard to understand that feeling.

“But for me, this derby is the biggest and the best.”

Which Hull team will top the Super League table following Rivals Round?

Are you ready for Rivals Round?

Hull FC will host Hull KR in their traditional Good Friday Hull Derby, as Rivals Round (Round 8) takes place live on Sky Sports.

All six games across Rivals Round will be broadcasted LIVE and information regarding dates, venues and kick-off times can be found here.

There's still time to sign up to SuperLeague+ if you haven't already, with match passes, monthly passes and annual passes all available.