Australian former Super League ace, ex-Bradford Bulls & Hull FC star inducted into Hall of Fame
Glen Tomlinson in action for Bradford Bulls in 1997 - Alamy
Australian Glen Tomlinson has been inducted into Championship outfit Batley Bulldogs’ Hall of Fame, adding to the stand already named after him at Mount Pleasant.
The former half-back made 209 appearances for the Bulldogs over two separate spells, scoring 502 points including 124 tries, a club record which stood for four years until it was broken by now-Castleford Tigers head coach Craig Lingard in 2006.
Tomlinson himself broke the club’s try-scoring record by surpassing Wattie Davies, whose 122 tries – the last of which way back in 1912 – came over an eye-watering 448 appearances.
Now 53, the overseas ace joins Davies and seven others in Batley’s Hall of Fame. He was officially inducted at a ‘Heritage event’ on Saturday night in the Ron Earnshaw Lounge at Mount Pleasant.
As posted by the Bulldogs on X – @BatleyRLFC – below, chairman Kevin Nicholas handed Tomlinson a commemorative framed photo to mark the occasion.
Another proud moment for the club as Glen Tomlinson last night became the ninth player to be inducted into the Batley RLFC Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/z5Raqel8QV
— Batley Bulldogs RLFC (@BatleyRLFC) December 17, 2023
Australian former Super League ace, ex-Bradford Bulls & Hull FC star Glen Tomlinson inducted into Batley Bulldogs’ Hall of Fame
Playing rugby league as a youngster for Queensland-based outfit Caboolture, Tomlinson appeared for Bradford Bulls, Hull FC (then Hull Sharks) and Wakefield Trinity as well as Batley during his time on these shores.
Linking up with Bradford for the inaugural Super League season in 1996, he made the switch across Yorkshire in exchange for the Bulldogs receiving three Bulls players in return – Phil Hardwick, Dave Turpin and Roger Simpson.
Departing Bradford for Hull at the end of a 1997 season which saw the Bulls beaten in the Challenge Cup final by St Helens, the playmaker would feature just eight times for the Sharks, as they were then known, staying just the one-year before linking up with Wakefield.
Spending two seasons at Belle Vue, his final appearance would come on September 3, 2000 in a defeat to Huddersfield-Sheffield Giants, again as they were then known.
Tomlinson would depart Trinity later than month have seen his contract terminated, along with 10 others, amidst financial issues at the club. Current Catalans Dragons boss Steve McNamara was one of those 10.