ROSS Peltier may not have won the Sportsman category in the Professional Achievers’ section of the Bradford Sports Awards at the Life Centre Events venue in Bradford.

That honour went to super flyweight boxer Tasif Khan, the WBO Continental champion, the WBC silver champion and the WBU world champion, who was not there to collect his prize.

But popular 32-year-old Peltier, who was in attendance, confessed on the night that he has already achieved far more than he thought possible in his rugby career.

A relative latecomer to professional rugby league, the Bradford-born prop forward has played for Keighley Cougars, Bradford Bulls, Doncaster, Dewsbury Rams and Hunslet (on loan), and has also represented Jamaica 11 times, playing for the Reggae Warriors in the Rugby League World Cup.

Bradford-born Peltier said: “This nomination has probably come a year or two too late as I have retired from professional rugby league now, so I understand not winning it, but it means a lot to me to be nominated.

“I was here a couple of years ago handing an award out and thought ‘it would be good to have one of them’!

“But the venue is ten times better than when I was last here. It is amazing, the venue is quality and I have had a good night.”

As for his rugby league career, he confessed: “Some might say that I didn’t hit the heights that I should have hit, but what I have done I can be very proud of.

“I have had a great career in the Championship and League One - better than I could ever have hoped for - and I am just grateful for playing with the lads that I came through with and what I have had, playing for some of the great rugby league clubs in West Yorkshire.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Ross Peltier celebrates scoring a try for Bulls against Sheffield in what was due to be their farewell game at Odsal Stadium in September 2019.Ross Peltier celebrates scoring a try for Bulls against Sheffield in what was due to be their farewell game at Odsal Stadium in September 2019. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

“I have also won the second-most caps for Jamaica, and it has been a mad journey for me.

“In 2011 I went to the World Cup qualifiers with them, we didn’t have any kit, we didn’t have any respect and we trained on the central reservation.

“We struggled, so for us to end up at the World Cup a couple of years ago was the stuff that dreams are made of and testament to the effort of all of the boys that I played with.

“Now rugby league in Jamaica is strong through the schools, colleges and universities and a system of leagues are being set up there.

“They are coming on in leaps and bounds and have their own State of Origin competition.

“They even have an ex-players’ tour that I am jumping on to, in the United States.”

Now Peltier’s rugby is of the union variety as he is playing at No.8 for Old Crossleyans in Regional Two North East.

He is already looking forward to facing Counties One Yorkshire champions Bradford Salem twice next season.

“I have gone back to the dark side,” laughed Peltier, who w lives in Cleckheaton, adding: “That is still a Bradford postcode. I don’t leave a Bradford postcode.”

He said: “I have been at Crocs for two years and I have loved every minute of it. From the high intensity (of league), I can get through 80 minutes of rugby union a lot easier and it suits me.

“I am good in the scrums and the breakdowns and I have a knack for it, and in some ways I regret not playing it more when I was younger because I have done very well at it.”

As for the longer-term future, Peltier has thought about coaching.

He admitted: “I could do a good job coaching, but I am thinking more of the mentoring side of things and have talked to (former top-flight rugby league player and now prominent administrative figure in the game) Ikram Butt about it.

“I’d like to do things such as helping black and ethnic minority players to come through to Super League or rugby union.

“That is my passion now as I had a lot of guidance from players such as Leon Pryce, Paul White, Karl Pryce and Richie Barnett - the list goes on of people that I could tap into.”