We’re the number one knockout team: Lee Briers feels duty to leave Wigan on a high

Lee Briers believes Wigan are the top knockout team in the competition, adding that his imminent move to Australia has left him desperate to finish at Old Trafford.

The Warriors’ assistant coach will head to Brisbane at the end of October after accepting a role at the Broncos, fulfilling a lifetime ambition to join the NRL.

And speaking exclusively on the latest Love Rugby League Podcast, the former Lance Todd trophy winner says he is desperate to see Wigan finish on a high.

“This motivates me even more for the rest of this season,” said Briers.

“I have a duty to make sure I don’t miss a day and make sure the lads are prepared the best I can. It has made it a lot easier the way Wigan have been about it as they have every right to be a bit upset, but the chairman (Ian Lenagan), the CEO (Kris Radlinski) and the coach (Matt Peet) have been fabulous. I want to do this as we have worked so hard.”

Lee Briers: This is the fun part of the season

Briers says he has been revitalised at Wigan this year, after seeing his career-long stay at Warrington end following the appointment of Daryl Powell.

The three-times Challenge Cup winner believes the club’s own Cup win at Tottenham this year has proved that they are the team to beat in any knockout game.

“I’m not coming on this podcast to say we are going to go and win the Grand Final,” he warned.

“There are six teams who want to do that, and we are one of them. But we need to stick to our processes and keep learning each week to see where it takes us. We are in a fairly strong position, we want to finish second and then it is anybodies. 

“We have not long left so we need to make sacrifices. There are some really good teams playing really good rugby. At the moment we are the number one knockout team because we won the Challenge Cup, so we take confidence that we can play in the big games and get it right.

“I’ve never missed playing. It is good as a coach as you see intensity rise and changes in players and how they react. This is the fun part of the season.”

PODCAST: Lee Briers on NRL ambition, Wigan honour & Super League restructure

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