Tom Briscoe admits he thought he would never play for the Rhinos again, but will now bow out at Old Trafford. The winger will depart the club at the end of the campaign after nine seasons at Headingley, with his final game to be on the biggest of stages at the Theatre of Dreams.
It's been some turnaround for the 32-year-old, who just a few months ago was still on the sidelines through injury and had been informed he would not be offered a new contract by the club. Ash Handley and David Fusitu'a were both on form and with Briscoe's injury four months deep, his time at the club looked to be heading towards an unmemorable end. But now he'll be given the chance to play in another Grand Final, with Briscoe returning to form after injuries to the club's other wingers.
A move to Leigh Centurions is understood to be on the card but for now, he will focus on ending his Leeds career by winning a seventh major trophy.
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"Finding out I would not be at the club next year and moving on, there wouldn't be a better way to sign off than a Grand Final appearance but a win as well," he said. "The journey we've been on as well this year makes it even more special.
"At times I probably thought there was a chance I wouldn't play for Leeds again. The injury was prolonged and things weren't recovering at the pace I wanted to. To see them going so well and the run they were on, things start going through your mind. But as a palyer you go through injuries, you stick to the process and your rehab and thankfully I've got the opportunity."
Briscoe famously won the Lance Todd Trophy while playing for the Rhinos in 2015 after scoring five tries in the Challenge Cup Final victory over Hull KR. But he believes playing at Old Trafford, a place he has won with the Rhinos twice, tops playing at Wembley.
It's the best feeling personally I think you can get at Old Trafford. Obviously, I played at Wembley but nothing beats that Old Trafford feeling when you come out from that corner and hear that atmosphere.
"It would be special, something dreams are made of, aren't they, to get that send-off. I'm not wanting to look too much into that and just concentrate on the group first."
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