Rugby League: Leeds winger Tom Briscoe eyes all four trophies
Published:
Matt Haynes | January 19, 2016
Leeds Rhinos are 7/2 joint-second favourites with Coral to win the Super League Grand Final next season, though winger Tom Briscoe, who set a five-try record in Leeds’ 50-0 Challenge Cup final win over Hull KR, is targeting all four trophies.
Challenge awaits
The West Yorkshire side will be aiming to win the World Club Challenge in their first quest for silverware, as they prepare to take on NRL winners North Queensland Cowboys in February.
“All our goals are set for getting all four trophies now,” said Briscoe. “No one has done that before so that’s a record we can aim to achieve. We’ve shown what we can achieve but last year has gone now.
“Trying to win the World Club Challenge is something different but even if that wasn’t there, the possibility of doing it all again is enough motivation for us. But we can go one better this year: all four.”
This hasn’t been achieved in a calendar year and it is very rare that a Super League side beat their opponents from Down Under, with St Helens and Bradford Bulls the only teams to have done so since the start of the new Millennium. You have to go back to the early nineties when that great Wigan Warriors side dominated, winning eight trophies between 1993 and 1996.
New Rhinos
The Rhinos begin their defence without their three key personnel, with captain Kevin Sinfield as well as Jamie Peacock and Kylie Leuluai all retiring, though replacements Beau Fallon, Keith Galloway and Brett Ferres are all more than capable of filling their boots.
“Obviously losing those key players will be massive: Kev being captain and winning so much, Jamie and Kylie,” Briscoe continued. “They will be a big hole to fill but numbers-wise it’s only three players, not half a squad to replace. We’ve recruited some good players and hopefully they can come in and start where those three left off.”
Leeds kick off their Super League campaign at home to Warrington Wolves and are odds-on at 1/2 to start with a win.
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