The Welsh captain takes a break from firefighting on Wednesday as his side prepare to take on the Cook Islands at Leigh Sports Village, near Wigan.
Elliot now plays for Championship side Bradford Bulls, and 13 years ago he made his international and Super League debut.
Elliot is based in Fairweather Green (Image: WYFRS)
He joined the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) in June last year and said it was the best career move he had ever made.
“I always wanted to be a firefighter and if I hadn’t started playing rugby it would have been my career,” said Elliot, who is based at Fairweather Green Fire Station.
“I was still a professional rugby player when I applied for the service.
“At the time, I was 32 and knew a rugby career could be short, so I saw the opportunity and took it. It meant leaving my professional contract behind, but it was worth it and was the best career decision I’ve made.
Elliot went through a three-month training program and said there were a lot of similarities between rugby and being a firefighter.
“The fire department has the same team ethic and camaraderie,” he said.
“As a rugby player, I have experienced incredible things – two World Cups, one of which was in Australia, and a game against Italy at the Millennium Stadium.
“People tell me I’m so lucky to have had such a long career in rugby league, but it has also come with sacrifices.”
Elliot grew up in Cardiff and went to school with Sam Warburton, who led Wales at the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups and Gareth Bale, who will lead his side at the Rugby World Cup in november.
“I started playing rugby league when I was 17 when I joined a professional team called the Celtic Crusaders – coincidentally my debut was against the Leeds Rhinos,” he said.
“I was offered a full-time contract with Bradford in 2011 and that’s when I met my fiancée Natalie and we now have three young children.”
Elliot then played for teams in London and Salford before returning to Bradford.
He now trains with the Wales Men’s Rugby League side at the UCLan Sports Arena in Preston.
“The World Cup has been postponed for a year due to the pandemic, but the team is looking forward to it,” he said.
“On Wednesday we play Cook Islands, and our squad is called ‘The Death Squad’ because we also have Papua New Guinea and Tonga. They all have a reputation for being aggressive. is a tough group, but we’ve worked hard and we’re all happy with Wednesday’s game.
WYFRS Deputy Fire Chief Nick Smith said they were all supportive of Elliot.
He said: “We are proud to have Elliot here at WYFRS – from the start he has shown all the skills and attributes needed to be a good firefighter. This includes great team ethics, which he learned as a rugby player and which is vital for every firefighter. To be successful in the fire service, you work as a team – this underpins your entire career, no matter what your job level.
“We all wish him the best for tomorrow’s game and we look forward to seeing him back in our firefighting family soon.”
